Corridor group enters agreement with regional body

THE Walvis Bay Corridor Group has signed a membership agreement with the Southern Africa Shippers Transport and Logistics Council (SASTALC), which is based in South Africa.

Namibia is positioning itself to become a major transport hub in southern Africa and the port at Walvis Bay is currently under expansion with a new container terminal being constructed by the Namibian Ports Authority at a cost of N$3 billion.

Commenting on the signing of the agreement yesterday, the corridor group said it was committed to facilitating and promoting transport and trade along the country’s corridors.

Namibia has already allocated dry port facilities to landlocked Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The Walvis Bay corridor serves as a real alternative to link the three countries to Europe, North America as well as South America.

“As a result, we are continuously identifying new, faster and cost effective ways to create links and connect Southern Africa to the rest of the world in terms of trade and logistics,” the group announced yesterday.

“The WBCG recently signed a membership agreement with SASTALC.

With cargo owners and logistics service providers as its members, SASTALC’s objective is to represent the interests of its members and the industry in all transport and supply chain matters, while collaborating with governments and other related associations to promote and support a globally competitive logistics climate throughout Southern Africa,” said Siobhan Fox, Walvis Bay Corridor Group, business development manager based in South Africa.

Fox said membership agreement with SASTALC was important because it puts the group in a better position because it means the group can network and connect with everyone from the transport, logistics and shipping industries at events hosted by SASTALC.

SASTALC aims to establish an innovative, collaborative, all-inclusive public-private partnership for all role players across Southern African supply chains, into global markets, with strategic focus on transport and logistics for shippers.

Fox said Namibia’s ports and corridors are strategically positioned to give the country a competitive positioning as a transport hub for all regional and international trade between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, Europe, the Americas, and the rest of the world.

Namibia’s transport hubs include the Port of Walvis Bay, the Trans Kalahari Corridor (TKC), the Trans- Caprivi Corridor, the Trans-Cunene Corridor and the Trans-Oranje Corridor.

As part of its expansion plans, the corridor group recently attended the 21st Intermodal South America, which is the second biggest logistics Expo in the world in Brazil.

Walvis Bay provides the shortest link to connect the massive Brazilian economy to the Southern African market. Some of the products currently moving on this trade route via Walvis Bay from Brazil to Southern Africa include chicken, meat, furniture, consumables and construction materials.