The Port of Walvis Bay has seen a record increase of more than 54% of commodities transported through the port to Southern Africa during the past financial year. A total of 682 333 t of cargo was moved along the Walvis Bay corridors, a huge increase of 240 000 t from the previous financial period.

The Trans-Kalahari Corridor, which connects the Port of Walvis Bay with the Botswanan, South African and Zimbabwean markets, showed an impressive 115% growth; the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor, which connects the Port of Walvis Bay with the Zambian and the DRC markets, showed a substantial 75% growth; and the Trans-Cunene Corridor, which connects the Port of Walvis Bay to Angola, showed a 29% growth.

“We have continued our campaign to communicate and engage with the shipping and logistics community to attract them to Walvis Bay and to create more capacity amongst our Walvis Bay corridors. New shipping lines have started to call at Walvis Bay and some have set up new offices to expand their services via Walvis Bay into the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region. We have also seen more logistics service providers from the region and further abroad that has started to develop their footprint in Walvis Bay. This therefore allows more choice for our customers within the SADC region and also allows for a bigger variety of service aspects to attract new customers along our corridors,” says Johny Smith, the CEO of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG).

Bisey Uirab, chairman of the WBCG, says: “The WBCG’s work is being distinguished in the regional and international market for its attitude in growing through persistence and its unique private public participation at various levels in the region, on the continent and further abroad. This recipe of success continues to bring new and more rewards of growth as we also strengthen our role and create new partnerships and networks to develop trade and economics with the SADC region.”

The growth of the Walvis Bay Corridors can be attributed to the intense marketing campaigns in the regional and international arena which have increased awareness of the benefits that the Walvis Bay Corridors have to offer, resulting in a market increase for an efficient service.