Zambian shipper tunes into benefits of Walvis Bay route

Namibia is gradually making inroads as more and more cargo owners realise the benefits of an alternative trade route for southern Africa, says Johny Smith, CEO of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG). He said it had been a long road convincing industry – especially in South Africa – of the viability of the Walvis Bay corridor and the Port of Walvis Bay. “Our biggest challenge has been in changing the mindset of people. We are now starting to see people giving it a go,” he said, citing one example where it took three years to convince a customer to use the Port of Walvis Bay for his cargo to Zambia. “He finally decided to give it a go and has seen major benefits as it has cut down his cargo movement by fourteen days between Europe and Lusaka. The biggest benefit for him is simply that he has better cash flow as his cargo is moving faster,” said Smith. “We were convinced of the benefits of Walvis Bay as an alternative trade route from the start – hence our investment in the corridor and the ports, but convincing the industry at large has been exceptionally challenging.” Despite this the corridors between Namibia and its neighbours, South Africa, Botswana and Angola, have seen fundamental growth in recent years. The country has also undertaken to create dry ports for landlocked countries such as Botswana and Zambia as added incentives for cargo owners to use Walvis Bay. “Major investment into transport and logistics infrastructure continues as the country puts in motion its plan to be a logistics hub in southern Africa by 2025,” said Smith. “Our strategic plan has been to ensure regional integration. We believe we can grow trade within the region significantly and offer a viable, wellconnected entrance into southern Africa for traders.” He said while shipping lines calling at Walvis Bay did not necessarily offer the variety of other ports currently in the region, this was a changing landscape as well. INSERT & CAPTION A Zambian shipper has seen major benefits in using Walvis Bay as it has cut down his cargo movement by fourteen days between Europe and Lusaka. – Johny Smith