WBCG plans Netherlands office

As part of ongoing efforts
to market itself more
aggressively in Europe as
an alternative gateway
to the Southern African
Development Community
(SADC) region, the Walvis
Bay Corridor Group
(WBCG) has announced
plans to set up offices in The
Netherlands.
“With the strategic location
of the Port of Walvis Bay
and the establishment of an
office in The Netherlands,
the WBCG will be better
equipped to serve the needs
of importers and exporters
wishing to move cargo
between Europe and southern
Africa,” said WBCG business
development manager: South
Africa, Siobhan Fox.
Speaking at a
roundtable discussion
held in Johannesburg by
the WBCG last week to
update the industry on
project developments, Fox
commented that this move
was based on the success
of the Sao Paulo office in
Brazil, which has generated
a significant increase
in business since it was
established three years ago.
The WBCG has offices in
the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), South Africa,
Zambia and Brazil. Fox said
that the European office was
still in the “planning stages”
with date of opening still to
be confirmed.
“The Walvis Bay Corridor
is still a relatively new player
in global trade. By setting up
offices in strategic locations,
traders can be made aware of
the potential cost and time
savings associated with using
Walvis Bay,” said Fox.
She told FTW that
the group was keen to
enhance trade ties with
Europe to support the
increased capacity – an
additional 650 000 TEUs
– the expansion of the new
container terminal at the Port
of Walvis Bay would bring.
She added that the
R3.6bn container terminal
expansion was on track for
its scheduled 2017 opening.