Larger vessels will be accommodated
NAMIBIAN PORTS Authority (Namport) plans to develop a much bigger dry dock facility to serve far more vessels, as well as those larger than the current Walvis Bay dry dock can accommodate.
Sebby Kankondi, who was appointed Namport’s chief executive a year ago, sees this as a necessity in view of growing demand for repair business in the harbour.
“We will do this with the assistance of a smart partnership with a company that has the experience, technology and backup in this industry. Proposals are now being scrutinised from potential partners with the expertise to develop a ship repair facility with 10 000 tons displacement capacity,”
he says.
“Local and international financial organisations have expressed interest in funding such a project.”
The port’s current dry docking , repair work and repainting operations are all carried out by private companies in conjunction with Namport, which provides the synchrolift. This can lift vessels up to 2 000 tons displacement, 20m in length and 12m breadth.
On average the synchrolift handles about 50 vessels a month, sometimes up to 70.
“Due to the closure of some of the ship repair services in Cape Town, we find that a growing number of vessels have taken advantage of the Walvis Bay synchrolift,” says Kankondi. “A need therefore exists for a much bigger facility to serve the additional demands of vessels fishing in the adjacent Atlantic region.”
