Zimbabwe to set up dry port at Walvis Bay

Plans for Zimbabwe to operate a dry port in Walvis Bay are well advanced, according to Zimbabwean minister of industry and commerce, Welshman Ncube. Speaking during a presentation by the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) at the Meikles Hotel in Harare recently, he said Zimbabwe was in the process of developing a dry port at the Port of Walvis Bay with the aim of facilitating the import and export of goods, especially to and from America and Europe. This project was being spearheaded by the Road Motor Service (RMS) of Zimbabwe in partnership with Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) and Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG). “To further promote the use of the Walvis Bay Corridors, the government of Zimbabwe is proposing the establishment of a one-stop border post (OSBP) at the Plumtree Border Post between Zimbabwe and Botswana, with efforts already under way to engage Botswana on the issue,” he said. The experience of the Chirundu OSBP between Zimbabwe and Zambia has shown the value of the concept. With the envisaged increase in cargo passing through the Plumtree Border Post, improvement of the border is imperative to ensure a congestion-free trade route as is currently being experienced along the current trade routes, he added. There has been “significant growth” on the Walvis Bay Corridors for imports to Zimbabwe during the past 18 months, according to WBCG marketing and communications officer Agnetha Mouton. Freight being carried along the corridor includes frozen chicken, furniture, equipment, vehicles and other consumables. “The need for land-locked countries to gain access through an alternative trade route to and from sea is imperative. They are 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 says.