Namibia’s ports offer direct access to principal shipping routes to international markets and serve as a natural gateway to the southern African region. As operator of the ports of Walvis Bay and Lüderitz, the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) is aiming to drive regional integration and cross-border trade through the expansion of existing facilities and construction of a new deepwater port at Angra Point, according to CEO Andrew Kanime in an interview with Energy Capital & Power.
What is the current and future scope of Namport’s operations?
The Namibian Port Authority is a commercial public enterprise and is 100%-owned by the Namibian government. We have the sole and exclusive mandate to develop and manage ports in Namibia. At the moment, we have two ports in Namibia: the Port of Walvis Bay and the Port of Lüderitz. We are both the legislator and operator of the ports. Our long-term strategy is to transition more towards becoming a landlord port, so as to allow the private sector to participate in port operations and enhance operational efficiencies. Because we are both operators and legislators, we provide the full spectrum of port services, including tagging services, piloting services, bathing vessels and cargo operations. Insofar as our primary mandate is development, management and operation of port infrastructure, we have a very critical role to play in terms of regional economic integration. We see ourselves as a catalyst for both local and regional economic growth because we serve as a link between Namibia, the region and other international markets.
To what extent will Namibia’s ports play a role in upcoming hydrocarbon development?
Without the port, new industries will not be able to materialize. Namibia is currently in the exploration and appraisal phase, which means it needs to mobilize oil rigs used to conduct exploration. Because these discoveries are offshore, the port plays a critical role in ensuring that all of the supplies that are required in the oil fields – whether it’s consumables, people, tools or equipment – are being provided through the ports. We have actioned the development of the Port Master Plan to ensure that when the industry is ready to produce, we have invested in the requisite infrastructure to support it. That is just as far as the oil and gas sector is concerned – Namibia is also one of the premier sites for the production of green hydrogen in the southern part of the country. We are putting in place the necessary infrastructure to ensure that when the country is ready to ship its first molecule, we are also prepared.
What projects is Namport prioritizing in the short- to medium-term?
To support the development phase for both the green hydrogen and oil and gas industries, we need to extend our current quay in the Port of Lüderitz by about 200-300 meters. We are at the feasibility study stage at the moment and are hoping to commence with construction in Q2 or Q3 of 2024. In terms of our Port Master Plan, we are looking at the development of a completely new port – Angra Point – also located in Lüderitz. In addition, there is the development of the manganese export terminal, and we have embarked upon a modernization program to acquire new cargo handling equipment for the Port of Walvis Bay. With these projects, we are trying to play our rightful role in terms of ensuring that we do not constrain the market and continuing to invest in state-of-the-art infrastructure to be able to service the industry.
Energy Capital & Power is a strategic partner of the Namibia International Energy Conference (NIEC) – taking place in Windhoek on April 23-25, 2024. The 6th annual conference unites industry leaders, business executives and policymakers to engage in dialogue, exchange ideas, create new partnerships and identify strategies to foster a prosperous energy industry in Namibia and beyond. For more information, please visit https://www.nieconference.com/
