CHAMWE KAIRA
The growing attractiveness of Walvis Bay as a preferred option for import and export activities among hinterland countries such as Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) can be attributed to several key factors including strategic location, efficient transport corridor, modern infrastructure, customs and trade facilitation, competitive costs, political stability, diversified cargo handling and being transshipment hub, Acting Executive: Commercial Services at NamPort, Trevor Ndjadila said this week.
In terms of strategic location, he said Walvis Bay offers a strategic and geographically advantageous location along the southwestern coast of Africa. It provides these landlocked countries with direct access to international markets, bypassing the lengthy and congested routes through neighboring countries, he added.
When it comes to efficient transport corridor, Ndjadila said the Walvis Bay Corridor Group has established efficient transportation corridors connecting the port to major economic centers in the hinterland.
“These well-developed road and rail networks facilitate the smooth and cost-effective movement of goods to and from the port,” he said.
Ndjadila said the port also has modern infrastructure as the port of Walvis Bay has undergone significant infrastructure enhancements and expansion, including deepening of berths and the acquisition of state-of-the-art cargo handling equipment.
“This has increased its capacity and efficiency in handling various types of cargo,” he said.
On customs and trade facilitation, he said Namibia has implemented trade facilitation measures and streamlined customs procedures to expedite the clearance of goods at the port.
“This reduces transit times and enhances the ease of doing business for importers and exporters.”
In terms of competitive costs, Walvis Bay offers competitive port and shipping costs, making it an economically viable option for trade. Lower logistics costs can positively impact the overall cost structure of businesses engaged in international trade, said Ndjadila.
In terms of political stability, he added that Namibia’s stable political environment and commitment to trade-friendly policies provide a secure and predictable trading environment for businesses in the region. On the handling of diversified cargo handling, Ndjadila said Walvis Bay handles a wide range of cargo types, including dry bulk, containerized, and liquid bulk cargo.
“This diversification accommodates the diverse needs of hinterland countries’ import and export industries.”
The port has the potential to serve as a transshipment hub for goods destined for other African markets, contributing to regional trade integration, Ndjadila said.
During the current fiscal period, spanning nine months from April 2023 to December 2023, the distribution of cross-border market share, saw South Africa accounting for 42%, Zambia for 30%, Botswana for 15%, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for 10%, Zimbabwe for 3%, Angola for 1%, and Malawi for1%.
In terms of cross-border cargo tonnage during this nine-month financial period (April 2023 to December 2023), the breakdown was as follows: South Africa – 619,640 tonnes, Zambia – 440,754 tonnes, Zimbabwe – 50,906 tonnes, Angola – 11,550 tonnes, Botswana – 216,927 tonnes, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – 142,460 tonnes, and Malawi – 10,135 tonnes. The total cross-border tonnage handled during this period amounted to 1,492,589 tonnes.
Furthermore, the total exports for this period reached 1,046,750 tonnes, while the total imports amounted to 455,839 tonnes.
“It’s noteworthy that the primary contributors to the cross-border volumes are copper, originating from DRC, Zambia, and Botswana, as well as manganese, which is handled from South Africa via the Port of Lüderitz,” he said.
