News / National
Zim Govt in discussions to develop a dry port at Walvis Bay
08 May 2012 at 00:29hrs | Views
Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mike Bimha has said discussions by Government to develop a dry port at Walvis Bay in Namibia were under way.
The setting up of the dry port will facilitate the importation of goods from America and Europe.
"Plans to develop the dry port are still in the process and discussions with various stakeholders are under way," said Deputy Minister Bimha.
The project to establish the port was being spearheaded by a transport concern, Road Motor Services (RMS) in conjunction with the Namibian port authority and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group.
"There is a lot of groundwork that needs to be done before the port is developed. The many issues include consultations with other stakeholders such as other Government ministries and departments," he said.
Recently, Zimbabwe was given land to develop a dry port in Namibia and Government agreed that RMS would handle the project.
The transport firm is expected to enter into a tripartite arrangement with other stakeholders because the company has limited resources.
The Government is yet to allocate funding for the project.
Last year Walvis Bay Corridor Group held an information session in Harare to enlighten potential and existing transport operators in Zimbabwe about the benefits of utilising Walvis Bay Corridor routes.
It is also hoped that by utilising the Trans-Kalahari and the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubambashi Development Corridor to Zimbabwe, the country would save time and costs.
And in order to promote the use of the Walvis Bay Corridors, the Government intends to introduce a one-stop border concept at Plumtree point of entry between Zimbabwe and Botswana.
The one-stop-border concept has proved to be efficient as evidenced by developments at Chirundu Border Post.
During this year's Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, African Development Bank vice-president Dr Mthuli Ncube revealed that the country and other Sadc-member states using the Beitbridge Border Post to move their goods were losing business worth between $29 million and $35 million annually.
This was because of congestion and delays at the point of entry as the one-stop-border system had also not been introduced.
The setting up of the dry port will facilitate the importation of goods from America and Europe.
"Plans to develop the dry port are still in the process and discussions with various stakeholders are under way," said Deputy Minister Bimha.
The project to establish the port was being spearheaded by a transport concern, Road Motor Services (RMS) in conjunction with the Namibian port authority and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group.
"There is a lot of groundwork that needs to be done before the port is developed. The many issues include consultations with other stakeholders such as other Government ministries and departments," he said.
Recently, Zimbabwe was given land to develop a dry port in Namibia and Government agreed that RMS would handle the project.
The transport firm is expected to enter into a tripartite arrangement with other stakeholders because the company has limited resources.
Last year Walvis Bay Corridor Group held an information session in Harare to enlighten potential and existing transport operators in Zimbabwe about the benefits of utilising Walvis Bay Corridor routes.
It is also hoped that by utilising the Trans-Kalahari and the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubambashi Development Corridor to Zimbabwe, the country would save time and costs.
And in order to promote the use of the Walvis Bay Corridors, the Government intends to introduce a one-stop border concept at Plumtree point of entry between Zimbabwe and Botswana.
The one-stop-border concept has proved to be efficient as evidenced by developments at Chirundu Border Post.
During this year's Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, African Development Bank vice-president Dr Mthuli Ncube revealed that the country and other Sadc-member states using the Beitbridge Border Post to move their goods were losing business worth between $29 million and $35 million annually.
This was because of congestion and delays at the point of entry as the one-stop-border system had also not been introduced.
Source - TC
