Namibia, Angola plan direct shipping line

Namibia and Angola must establish a direct regular shipping line to remove the current hassles encumbering the smooth transportation of goods by sea between the two countries.

Speaking during a meeting with Trade and Industry Minister Hage Geingob, Angola’s Minister of Construction and Urbanisation Fernando Fonseca said goods that are transported by sea between the two countries sometimes have to pass via Cape Town in South Africa.
Namibia and Angola share a common border while South Africa, located at the continent’s southernmost end, only shares a border with Namibia.
Fonseca said goods destined for the Angolan market are delayed considerably at the South African border due to the large volume of containers that are handled by that country’s ports.
“Goods coming to Angola from countries such as Malaysia are delayed in Cape Town,” he said.
“It is time for our two countries to promote a door-to-door transportation corridor between our two ports,” he added.
Walvis Bay is the major port of Namibia while Luanda, the capital of Angola, is the main port hub in the country.
On his part, Geingob assured Fonseca that the Namibian Government and port authority are doing everything to ensure that Walvis Bay becomes a major sea transportation hub in the southern African region.
He said the harbour has been expanded and deepened to enable it to handle bigger ships and more containers.
The two ministers also discussed inland transportation problems, as both countries are currently grappling with the destruction of road infrastructure caused by heavy loads and floods.
Fonseca said his country is facing a serious challenge to maintain the existing road network and bridges, all part of the infrastructure that is crucial for the transportation of goods.
The Angolan government is at present facing a challenge of rebuilding three bridges that were destroyed by floods in March this year in the Namibe province which borders the Kunene region of Namibia.
Fonseca said one of the three bridges is particularly important as it is used to provide oil and lubricants to four Angolan provinces in the south of the country.
He said the heavy-duty trucks that transport the equipment and material being used for the infrastructural reconstruction of Angola are also damaging the country’s roads.
He added that the Angolan government is consequently thinking about investing heavily in its rail transport network to ease the pressure on the road network.
Geingob, meanwhile, said Namibia is working to extend its railway network to the border with Angola to ensure rail linkage between the two countries.
Geingob is leading a large business delegation from Namibia that is here to foster closer ties with businesses in Angola.
The delegation arrived in Luanda on Sunday, and will return to Namibia on Friday.
Source: Namibian