The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) has said it is “pleased to announce growing corridor volumes and a sterling performance for the financial year 2022/23”.A statement issued by the Namibian corridor authority said volumes entering and leaving the hinterland had increased by 50% year on year, climbing from 1 639 510 tonnes to 2 464 123 tonnes.“This is the volume throughput recorded for the ports of Walvis Bay and Lüderitz,” the WBCG said.It represents freight to and from the target markets of Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Malawi, South Africa, Zambia as well as Zimbabwe.“Prior to Namibia’s independence, there were absolutely no corridor volumes.“The first cross-border cargo was only initially recorded in 2004.“The best performance was shown by the Botswana market, with growth of 285%.”The Group said that its landlocked neighbour, which runs a state-owned depot in Walvis Bay, Sea-Rail, had enabled the growth through importing commodities such as sugar from Brazil.On the export side, coal and copper concentrate helped to bolster Botswana’s cargo throughput at Walvis.The South African market had also grown, by 42%, from 771 852 tonnes to 1 093 569 tonnes, the WBCG said.This market is driven mainly by manganese from Hotazel in the Northern Cape, exported through the Port of Lüderitz.The DRC and Zambian markets have grown exponentially by 33% and 40%, respectively, from 243 029 tonnes to 324 151 tonnes, and 363 621 tonnes to 510 323 tonnes for both markets.The Group’s CEO, Mbahupu Hippy Tjivikua, said: “The significant growth of corridor volumes is testimony that our business development initiatives and trade facilitation efforts are making an impact in the target markets.“This is a result of team efforts between ourselves, Namport and all the relevant stakeholders along the supply chain.“Moreover, the clients in these markets are increasingly finding our trade routes very efficient and safer.“Although a few challenges remain, great inroads have been made over the years, and this is all thanks to all our stakeholders’ support, input and commitment."
