CHAMWE KAIRA
Botswana’s Vice President, Ndaba Gaolathe, is scheduled to visit the Botswana Container Terminal at the Port of Walvis Bay this week as Botswana and Namibia deepen cooperation aimed at improving regional trade, logistics and transport infrastructure, the Botswana ministry of transport and infrastructure announced.
The Botswana Container Terminal, managed in partnership with the Namibia Ports Authority (Namport), serves as a key gateway for Botswana’s imports and exports through the Port of Walvis Bay, providing the landlocked country with direct access to international markets via the Atlantic Ocean.
The visit is expected to focus on ongoing port expansion projects and infrastructure developments designed to strengthen Botswana’s trade connectivity.
It also highlights the importance of the Trans Kalahari Corridor strategy, which includes road transport and the proposed Trans Kalahari Railway linking Botswana to the Namibian coast.
According to the Botswana government, the visit reflects its commitment to strengthening regional partnerships, improving logistics efficiency and ensuring infrastructure investments support economic growth, job creation and trade competitiveness.
Officials from both governments and Namport are expected to review current operations at the port and discuss opportunities to expand cargo handling capacity along the Namibia-Botswana trade route.
The visit follows a series of engagements in Walvis Bay involving Botswana’s state-owned logistics company, Sea Rail Botswana, and its newly appointed board.
During a high-level meeting this week, Sea Rail Botswana managing director Derrick Mokgatla outlined the company’s strategic vision to transform the entity into a leading provider of integrated logistics services for Botswana and the wider region.
The strategy aims to expand Sea Rail Botswana’s role beyond traditional dry port operations by developing a sustainable logistics network supported by strategic partnerships.
The company plans to seek the introduction of dry port legislation to establish a clear regulatory framework while targeting annual revenue growth of 25%.
The strategy also includes expanding along the logistics value chain through third-party partnerships, strengthening collaboration with Namport, increasing container movements between the two countries’ dry ports by road, operationalising a Gaborone office to attract new business, supporting development of the Trans Kalahari Corridor, and investing in additional equipment to improve operational capacity.
Sea Rail Botswana said the strategy aligns with Botswana’s Economic Transformation Programme and Vision 2036 by integrating port, corridor and inland logistics services to improve trade facilitation, diversify exports and create employment opportunities.
Earlier on Tuesday, the newly constituted Sea Rail Botswana Board held its induction meeting in Walvis Bay, where members were briefed on the company’s mandate and toured port facilities.
The board, which provides strategic oversight of Botswana’s freight and logistics operations, also engaged with stakeholders on infrastructure development, logistics efficiency and trade facilitation along the Trans Kalahari Corridor.
Board members later visited Namport’s North Port development area, where they received updates on one of the region’s largest planned infrastructure projects.
Namport officials said the North Port development has been designated as the starting point for the proposed Trans Kalahari Railway, which is expected to provide a direct rail connection between Walvis Bay and Botswana.
The railway is intended to increase port and rail capacity, reduce transit times and support growing trade volumes between Botswana, Namibia and the wider Southern African region.
Officials also confirmed plans by the Dangote Group to establish a large petroleum tank farm, with land already reserved for the project, further positioning Walvis Bay as a regional logistics and energy hub.
