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SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6483 FRIDAY 28 AUGUST 2015 Tel +264 64 205 854/+264 64 461 866/Fax +264 64 204 813/+264 64 461 824/Website www.namibtimes.net
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Reckless driving in Walvis Bay
Presidents visit Namport Mavourlene !Gaës
New Primary School for Swakopmund
The President’s maiden visit comes as part of his National Tour of the Country’s regions to familiarise himself with the challenges and the developments at regional levels. President Lungu who acknowledged the excellent work that is being done at the Port, said Zambia’s people need to up their Page 5 game to ensure they are on the same level as Namibia. Also welcoming the President to the Port was the Chief Executive officer of the Namport Authority, Bisey /Uirab, who ex-
"Mother of All Sweet Potatoes"
plained the progress made with the container terminal expansion project. “ This project is in line with all the ongoing projects of Namport, and we are trying at all costs to assure that they stay within the alignment for vision 2030.” /Uirab says one of the key objectives of the National Development Plan 4 (NDP4) is that Namibia becomes a logistic hub for the SADC region. “This project is directly aimed at ensuring that we meet that objective, the Port of Walvis Bay’s new
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Opskep Loer deur "Incook Nito"
Chief Executive Officer of NamPort, Bisey /Uirab Bladsy 12
Burger lei Welwitschias
Photos by Mavourlene !Gaës
The President of the Republic of Namibia, Hage Gottfried Geingob, made his first short visit to the Walvis Bay Namport Authority yesterday afternoon. He was accompanied by the President of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, Page 4 and Geingob’s wife, Monica Geingos.
The President of Zambia, Edgar Lungu (right) with President Hage Geingob and First Lady Monica Geingos container terminal on reclaimed land is a project which is probably the biggest port development that Namibia has ever seen since independence.” He says this project will pave the way for Namibia to become a major logistics hub in SADC, by more than doubling the current volumes which can be handled in the port - from 300 000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) which is the number of containers which are being handled, to about 750 000 TEUs. According to /Uirab they will be spending about N$4
billion on this project. “We have taken a loan from the Africa Development Bank to the tune of about N$3 billion, and the rest will be funded to Namport Resources, and will be resources that we are getting from the Government of the Republic of Namibia.” To date the project, that is being constructed by the Chinese Harbour Engineering Company, is “completed to about 26 % and it is very much on schedule.” “A total amount of about N$1,5 billion has already been paid over to the contractor and the size of the
land that we reclaimed through this project will be 40 hectares. It will have a key length of 600 metres and a water depth of 16 metres.” /Uirab says the Zambia Dry port at the Port of Walvis Bay, that the Namibian Government availed to the Republic of Zambia in 2009 and is currently being managed by African Union Financial services, is doing well despite challenges. “Over the past five years, the trade volumes that come through the port of Walvis Bay from Zambia has increased significant-
ly and as of today we are handling about 5% of the copper that comes from the Copper Belt in Zambia.” Highlighting some of the challenges they are facing, /Uirab says they are informed at NamPort by their clients, that the route between Walvis Bay and Zambia is being made expensive due to the fact that there is no rail link between Zambia and Namibia. “Every time that we engage with our counterparts or our business people we are told that Namibia and Zambia must ensure to connect the two countries by means Continues on page 2
Capacity Expansion at Walvis Bay Salt Holdings
Staff Reporter The salt field expansion project at Walvis Bay Salt Refiners has recently kicked off. The expected completion of the construction phase of this project, entailing a capital investment of more than N$60 million, is March 2016.
The expansion includes additional evaporation ponds, concentrator ponds, crystalliser ponds, an additional seawater intake and a feeder pipeline. An additional area of 1 450 ha for concentrator ponds Bladsy 36 and 100 ha for crystallizer
ponds will become available to the salt works’ existing 4 500 hectares footprint. The project will enable annual production capacity of the salt field to be increased with an additional 240 000 tons over the next
three years. The Company already produces 750 000 tons per annum of which the bulk is exported internationally. The Company has followed the required environmental processes, including an EIA and public participa-
tion, and an Environmental Clearance Certificate for the project was received during 2014. Being situated in a RAMSAR site and the greater Dorob National Park was considered during the EIA process. In line with the Company’s
local mineral beneficiation strategy, an investment was made three years ago in a local table salt refinery, being Ekango Salt Refiners. Product from this refinery is distributed internationally to well-known brands like Nestlé and Unilever,
and the Holdings Group’s recent acquisition of the Cerebos business in South Africa will ensure much needed synergies with a top international recognised brand. It is expected that the expansion will not only Continues on page 2