As Namibia transforms into becoming the preferred Logistics Hub for Southern Africa, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) continues to form strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing the efficiencies of our transport and logistics sector.

In anticipation of more cargo volumes expected with the completion of the Walvis Bay Port Container Terminal, the WBCG is preparing to uplift the freight-forwarding sector through training, in order to equip freight forwarders with the required skills to handle the envisaged future demand. As such, plans are in place to take 70 Namibian Freight Forwarders through an African Development Bank (AfDB) funded ‘International Association for Freight Forwarders (FIATA) certified training course.

FIATA has two certified international training programs namely a FIATA Diploma (14 modules) and a FIATA Higher Diploma: Supply Chain Management (7 modules). The training which is aimed for the Namibian Freight Forwarders is the first level 14 Modules Diploma. At least 60% of the participants are required to be women.

“The course is designed to raise levels of professional competence in our industry to the highest standards possible, and as such is suitable for managers, supervisors, and front line staff across all company functions. The main aim of the activity is to strengthen the professional competence of Namibian freight forwarders. This is essential in order to ensure that affordable and high-quality logistics services are available for the needs of the users of the Walvis Bay corridors,” Immanuel Shipanga, our Manager for Projects and Funding, who is also spearheading the project said.

Training will commence in August and an external examiner will facilitate the course. The diploma awarded at the end of the course is an internationally recognized qualification that will serve to upgrade the status of the beneficiary and ultimately the company where s/he works. The training will be done in collaboration with the Namibia Logistics Association (NLA).

Freight Forwarders play an important role by acting as intermediary between individuals/companies and the transport companies, handling everything that is related to the shipping process. Some of Namibia’s freight forwarders are represented via the three associations namely the NLA, the Walvis Bay Port Users Association (WBPUA) and the Namibia Transporter’s Association (NATA), which are members of the WBCG.

“If the capacity in the next five years is eight times more than what it is now, we have to improve our freight forwarding service, customs handling as well as border management if we want to move more volumes,” Clive Smith, the WBCG Project Manager for the Logistics Hub said.

It is expected that once the new Namport container terminal is completed, it will have a capacity of 650, 000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per annum to complement the 355,000 TEU per annum capacity of the existing container terminal, giving the port a total capacity of 1, 050, 000 TEUs with adequate space for optimization and future expansion. In addition, a Logistics Master Plan study was launched in 2014 to provide a comprehensive logistics policy and system planning for Namibia.

All of this development is being driven by Namibia’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDP4) to reach the aims and ambitions of our country’s Vision 2030. The WBCG is playing a role as an executing agency for the Namibia Logistics Master Plan which is initiated by Government, coordinated by the National Planning commission, the Ministries of Works and Transport, Finance and Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development.

Regionally, the Walvis Bay corridors stimulate our economy by increasing the global competitiveness of both Namibia and our neighbouring countries. Increased use of infrastructure also contributes to the efficiency of the transport system, optimizes the use of the existing transport network and reduces costs.