An investment of more than US$1 billion will be spent in transport routes over the next decade.
This will link southern Africa with the Walvis Bay port to give mineral producers in the region a viable export route.
There have been quite a few restrains to date. Coal producers in South Africa have been unable to ship all the coal exports due to constraints on the rail lines leading to the Richard Bay port. Copper producers from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were delayed at the borders when minerals were exported out of the Dar es Salaam port in Tanzania.
According to Chief Executive Walvis Bay Corridor Group official, Johnny Smith, said that the Walvis Bay port should become a gateway into the continent and a regional distribution hub.
The Walvis Bay Corridor Group promotes a network of transport corridors, consisting of the Walvis Bay port, the Trans-Kalahari, Trans-Caprivi, Trans-Kunene and the Trans-Oranje Corridor. By 2014, Walvis Bay plans to spend N$2 billion to extend the container terminals. That will enable them to handle larger volumes of commodities that are processed through the port.
The infrastructure will also be upgraded along the three trade corridors that link South Africa, Angola, Zambia and the DRC. A 1 500-kilometer Trans-Kalahari railway line that will connect Walvis Bay with the Botswana coal fields, are also planned. The estimated cost will be US$6 billion and will be completed in five years time.
Workable studies have been conducted to ship out the coal through Mozambique or South Africa but Smith said Botswana singled out Walvis Bay to ship out the large volumes of coal they plan to mine.
Copper producers of Zambia and the DRC are also considering Walvis Bay as it could save time and money. Shipments take between ten and 15 days to reach the Das es Salaam and Durban ports. Smoother border procedures at Namibia cuts time down to 3 to 4 days.
About 90 percent of copper exports are being shipped from Dar es Salaam and Durban and only ten percent from Walvis Bay, but this might soon change. Smith added that copper producers are withdrawing from traditional routes. Namibia plans to export 50 percent of copper shipments by 2015.
