Importers and exporters of refrigerated cargo now have an alternative cross-border gateway in the port of Walvis Bay.A stack of 48 reefer points has been added to Botswana dry port, which is situated within the port precinct.
It is operated by SeaRail Botswana, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Botswana Railways.According to SeaRail acting managing director Derick Mokgatle, the installation of the reefer points is part of the rollout of the master plan for the facility.
SeaRail's objective is to integrate Botswana and the SADC region through the Walvis Bay port, to consolidate individual or unsynchronised container f lows to and from Botswana, to reduce total transport and logistics costs as well as journey time, and to stimulate Botswana's economy by making it easier and more cost effective to trade globally.
SeaRail can now cater for dry, refrigerated and perishable cargo, as well as minerals and vehicles.Work ha s started on a 3 000-square-metre warehouse, which is due for completion by the end of August.“We will then be able to cater for cargo which requires under-roof storage,” says Mokgatle.
Although the primary focus is Botswana, the dry port also caters for cross-border traffic to other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, including South Africa.Using a bonded facility within the port precinct helps save logistics costs, according to Mokgatle because of the proximity to the harbour.
The dry port has all the necessary handling equipment for containers and bagged bulk. SeaRail, in conjunction with the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), is also looking at opening a bonded transhipment warehouse at the Kasumbalesa border post between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in order to facilitate growth in regional trade and the Walvis Bay corridors.
This would make it easier for companies in Botswana to increase trade with the DRC.Trucks registered in Botswana would be able to take cargo to the facility, and bring back transit cargo or exports from the Copperbelt, he told FTW.
