27 Feb 2013

There is no progress in the development of the dry port that Botswana has leased at Walvis Bay port in Namibia.

Ministry of Transport and Communications’ spokesperson, Mr Amangwe Madisakwane said in an interview that this was due to cancellation and appointment of a new entity to run the project.

Mr Madisakwane said the development and operation of the dry port would be done within the ministry through the Botswana Railways, which was awarded the job on February 1, 2013.

He said the port would be operational in January 2014. Government carried out a feasibility study in July 2010 to establish the port. 

Government had secured land in Namibia for 50 years in order to facilitate the import-export activities of the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) members. The port was expected to act as a key receipt or dispatch point for commodities either destined to Botswana or regionally providing storage and bagging.

It was expected to offer handling as well as temporary storage services for goods carried in bond by an applicable transport mode, placed under customs control and with customs and other agencies competent to release goods for domestic use, warehouse, temporary admissions, re-export, temporary storage for onward transit as well as outright export.

The dry port encompassed an area of 36, 200 square metres of land located at the south-eastern side of the Walvis Bay port next to TransNamib locomotive maintenance and road depots. The port bordered the fifth street, which eventually linked it to the Trans Kalahari Highway. ENDS