Namibia to invest $145 million in ports expansion

13 June 2007 - PANA

Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) will embark on a US$145 million expansion programme to deepen and expand the container terminal of its Walvis Bay port as it gears for increased cargo volumes from SADC countries, an official said here Wednesday.

Namport managing director, Sebby Kankondi, said the ports company, which is owned by the Namibian government, has also launched a fully-fledged marketing programme in the SADC countries to handle their exports and imports through the port of Walvis Bay.

He said the management has completed a feasibility study which recommends the expansion of the deep water port to attract more business from the country and southern Africa's hinterland. Kankondi said Namport intends to deepen the port by an additional 16 metres, adding that the expansion plan would soon be rolled out.

"Our greatest challenge is to increase our capacity to accommodate large vessels, growth from containerisation, deepening of water depth and quick turnaround time of vessels," he said. "This requires capital, technology and training and development of employees," he added.

Namport has already expanded its ship repair facility through the purchase of a 11,500 tonne floating repair dock early this year.

The purchase of the dock has put Walvis Bay on the map as a viable alternative to Cape Town and Durban ports, which are reported to have the best ship-repair facilities in the region in terms of infrastructure.