Despite being smaller than regional ports, the harbour benefits from higher efficiency, shorter waiting times and additional facilities such as a dry dock for oil and gas rig repairs. The Port of Walvis Bay has become the preferred African West coast port and logistics corridor for southern and central African logistics operations. The Walvis Bay Port has been expanded (from 350,000 TEUs to 750,000 TEUs per year) and expectations about this are quite high among major shipping lines.
Plans are also underway to expand the Lüderitz Port and strengthen its connectivity with the Northern Cape Province of South Africa in terms of economic activity. Potential transport cargos for Lüderitz are manganese ore, zinc products (zinc ore and ingot of zinc) and fruit (table grapes and dates). The cargo handling volume at Lüderitz Port could currently be exceeding 500,000 tons.
In order to transform Namibia into an international logistics hub for SADC region, all elements related to transport and logistics (road, railway, maritime & port and aviation), are up to “international standard”. Therefore, the plans of developing a Master Plan for the International Logistics Hub for SADC Countries in Namibia is underway and is expected to be completed by 2025.