Walvis Bay is now officially in competition with other ports in the region following the inauguration of its new deep-water container terminal. “The completion of the container terminal expansion puts us on a very strong trajectory to realising our dream to transform Namibia into an international logistics hub,” said Namibian president Hage Geingob at the official inauguration of the new terminal. “It provides the whole logistics industry and all other ancillary services with exciting opportunities for growth and we must all take advantage of this in our respective areas of specialisation. “Namibia is linked to the hinterland through the various trade corridors and we must strive to make the utmost of this immense investment by harnessing the vast potential that surrounds us in our neighbouring countries that have no immediate access to the sea.” Neighbouring Southern African development countries were no longer “landlocked” as they had greater access to the sea, he said. There was more reason for Namibia to celebrate: “It makes me even more proud that the completion of the new container terminal coincides with the silver jubilee marking the re-integration of Walvis Bay and the off-shore islands into Namibia. “On the occasion celebrating the reintegration in 1994, the founding president and father of the nation, comrade Sam Nujoma put it fittingly that: ‘From today, Walvis Bay becomes a strategic gateway to the emerging markets of southern and west Africa as well as those of Latin America’. “What we are witnessing today is thus a culmination of a long-cherished vision of transforming the predominantly fishing harbour that was Walvis Bay, which we inherited at independence, into ‘Africa’s express hub to international markets’,” he said. Geingob was upbeat about economic prospects for Namibia and the region. “The current economic downturn in Namibia along with the slowing down of the global economies is no reason for gloom and despair.” Through its investment in logistics infrastructure, Namibia will be able to facilitate the roll-out of the African Continent Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which will remove tariffs from 90% of goods and offers opportunities for inter-Africa trade and business. “Therein lies a promising future for Namibia and the continent as a whole,” he said. Namibia is also investing in landside infrastructure by building a new double carriageway between Walvis Bay and the main transport route at Swakopmund, as well as investment in rail. “The ports and logistics industry in the SADC region is volatile and dynamic with frequently shifting goal posts,” said Namport director, Nangula Hamunyela. “New ports and expanded ports are being developed and rehabilitated and new rail and road transport corridors are linking other southern African ports to the same hinterland business that is transiting our Port of Walvis Bay. “It is therefore critical that, for continued sustainability and relevance of the port, it continues to embrace new developments and keep abreast of competition. “More importantly, our port is only one of the links in the transport supply chain and we rely heavily on the efficiencies and reliability of transport corridors connecting the port to the hinterland. “We are therefore very happy with the key rail and road infrastructure projects in progress.”
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It provides the whole logistics industry and ancillary services with exciting opportunities. – Namibian President Hage Geingob
