N$6
namib times SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 7050 FRIDAY 26 JANUARY 2024
Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
MSC Poesia Visits Walvis Bay
inside
Taxis’ a Nuisance Page 3
Tragic MVA Claims Lives Page 4
Queen Mary 2 & MSC Poesia
The cruise liner MSC Poesia was on a one-day visit to Walvis Bay on Wednesday. Here she is moored at the passenger liner jetty of the Namibia Ports Authority, seen from the Walvis Bay Waterfront. Read full story on page 6 Photo Eileen van der Schyff
Page 6
Walvis Bay Port Emerges as a Langer Heinrich Mine's New High Production Resumes School Key Refuelling Hub for Eileen van der Schyff
Sharlien Tjambari
In the face of rising dangers in the Red Sea due to Yemen's Houthi attacks, hundreds of cargo ships and tankers are charting new courses, avoiding the perilous waters. The Walvis Bay Port and Mauritius's Port Louis are “top options” for filling up if there's a need enroute, shipping giant A.P. Moller –Maersk A/S said. This global rerouting of cargo ships around the southern tip of Africa has sparked questions about the ease and practicality of diverting these colossal vessels. Namib Times sought insights from Namport's Manager of Business Development, Mr Trevor Ndjadila, on what this means for the Port of Wal-
vis Bay. One of the primary reasons vessels are seeking alternative routes is the escalating threat in the Red Sea. Since November, Houthi rebels have targeted ships, claiming connections to Israel. BBC reported in an article titled 'Red Sea crisis: What it takes to reroute the world's biggest cargo
ships on a 4,000 mile detour”, dated 21 January 2024', “since November, Yemen's Houthi rebel group has targeted vessels passing through the strait of Bab al-Mandab, a 20 mile (32km) wide channel that splits north-east Africa from Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. Continue on page 2
The first ore feed to Langer Heinrich Mine's (LHM) processing plant was achieved this month when the mine resumed processing production operations after being on halt for more than six years.
According to Paladin's latest quarterly report, the LHM Restart Project is now 93% complete with final construction and ongoing commissioning activities continuing across the processing plant. The mine has recruited approximately 90% of the operations team, with experienced personnel fill-
ing all critical roles, and demobilisation of the contractor workforce commenced with approximately 760 personnel on site in January 2024, a significant reduction from the pick of 1 200. The report further states that operational readiness Continue on page 2
Narraville Page 8
Sports News
Page 16