New container terminal to be managed by private sector

Namport believes this option would return container volumes to the Port of Walvis Bay

The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) issued a memorandum this week, confirming it is investigating the possibility to outsource the new container terminal on reclaimed land to a private operator.

In the memorandum Namport’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Andre Kanime, admits container volumes have dropped significantly since the terminal has been commissioned. A private operator would be best able to develop cargo volumes for the facility.
According to Kanime, the drop in container volumes come as a result of other ports in the region developing. That created additional capacity, at the cost of Walvis Bay’s existing capacity.
Secondly, larger container vessels are commissioned which offloads at fewer ports that can handle those size ships. Walvis Bay has a limit on the size of container vessel that can enter the port.
Apart from the fact that a private operator would grow its own cargo volumes, such operators also have more expertise to improve port efficiency and have more financial capacity to invest in equipment and infrastructure to handle larger size container vessels.