Business expansion through the application of performance-based standards (PBS) in the road freight industry has added another element to one of Namibia’s industry stalwarts, A van der Walt Transport.The rollout of PBS trucking in Namibia also gave rise to an altogether different brand in 2018, Van der Walt Logistics’ Andre van der Walt told Freight News during a recent visit to Namibia.Although introduced in South Africa, where heavy vehicle smart-tech transport was pioneered by Dr Paul Nordengen, the PBS trucking currently done by the operator in Namibia is bigger than it is in its neighbouring country.“We do draw-bar combinations capable of managing 46 tonnes in total, consisting of two 12-metre reefer containers. It makes for a road-train rig that is 30 metres long and is seen nowhere else in Namibia .”With the exception of another PBS service provider hauling salt from the f lats south of Walvis Bay to the port, Van der Walt believes they have an edge in a growing market.Much of the company’s long-distance exclusivity in smart-tech transport grew out of spiking demand for frozen fish from Lüderitz in the southern Namib.Due to the cancellation of reefer transhipment from Namibia’s smaller port to its bigger sister port to the north, Van der Walt’s trucks have provided a PBS solution for frozen fish trucked all the way through a harsh desert environment from Lüderitz inland past Keetmanshoop and Windhoek before heading back to Walvis – a round trip of about 1 700 kilometres.By ocean it would be roughly 500 kilometres from port to port.Filling in where ocean freight fell away was also no easy feat, says Van der Walt.“Apart from the investment in PBS, we’ve had to undergo a rigorous process. Having the money to afford PBS isn’t enough in and of itself. We were extensively audited by Road Traffic Management System officials before we could proceed.”Having succeeded, says Van der Walt, means his company’s PBS is on the cusp of even bigger things than frozen fish from Lüderitz.“The mining sector in Namibia is growing faster than one can keep pace with, but nevertheless it’s our intention to see how we can apply PBS to bulk ore commodities.“Together with the green-tech aspect of our road trains, we think it’s a perfect fit to see how we can contribute to the movement of copper and cobalt used for global decarbonisation developments.”
