WBCG looking for Zimbabwe traffic

A team from the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) has been drumming up business in Zimbabwe. The team recently hosted an information session in Harare “to create awareness of the Walvis Bay Corridors via the Port of Walvis Bay, into and from the southern African region, as the preferred trade route,” says spokesperson Agnetha Mouton. Attendees, who included members and board members from The Shipping and Forwarding Agents’ Association of Zimbabwe (SFAAZ), were welcomed by Namibian ambassador to Zimbabwe, Panduleni Kaino Shingenge. Marketing of Walvis Bay is starting to pay off, according to the ambassador: “Since the first cargo volumes for Zimbabwe started moving via the Port of Walvis Bay in July 2007, we have seen a significant increase, especially during the past 24 months.” The ambassador urged the Government of Zimbabwe to complete its dry port infrastructure within the Port of Walvis Bay in order for more importers and exporters to develop Walvis Bay, Namibia as its preferred trade route for southern Africa.” Walvis Bay has created dry ports within the harbour precinct for its neighbouring countries. According to Mouton, freight moving along the corridor includes frozen chicken, furniture, equipment, vehicles and other consumables. “The need for landlocked countries to gain access through an alternative trade route to and from sea is imperative, benefiting from access to the Port of Walvis Bay, which offers importers, and exporters reduced time and cost savings, high reliability, and cargo security,” she said.