Trans-Kalahari Corridor offers great opportunities for Freight industry

The role of transport and logistics has become increasingly important for the governments of South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. In working together, they aim to boost regional trade by improving the efficiency of the Trans-Kalahari Corridor network, which includes the Walvis Bay corridor in Namibia. Botswana invested more than a year ago in the construction of a Dry Port in Walvis Bay that became operational in July, unlocking potential in the global export market.

The dry port comprises an area of 36,200 square meters and is located at the south-eastern side of Namport, next to TransNamib’s locomotive maintenance depot. The dry port is the staging area of all cargo flows between Botswana’s import and export markets via Walvis Bay.

The project will increase the cargo volumes that are carried on the corridors and promote trade relations within the Southern African Development Community. It will also open new opportunities for land-locked Botswana to handle their cargo through Namport.

The operations of the port will complement the construction of the 1500 km Trans-Kalahari Railway that is in the pipeline. The proposed railway line would traverse the vast semi-arid, sandy savannah of the Kalahari desert from Botswana to Namibia, with the sole benefit of connecting Botswana to Namibia’s port of Walvis Bay, thus unlocking the value of coal mining in Botswana and power generation in the region.

There is an enormous demand for coal from Europe because of the high grade and this railway line would open up new opportunities for export to both Europe and Asia. The railway will also expand freight capacity on congested transport corridors within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and provide greater access to global markets for other landlocked countries in the region like Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The development of transport infrastructures like roads, railways, and port facilities is considered crucial for further growth, especially in Southern Africa. A current project like this is important to ensure a sustainable future in the freight and shipping industries and to generate important growth in the job market.

Looking for your next career opportunity in the Freight industry? Communicate Recruitment is a Freight recruitment company with a consultant that specializes in sales, road freight, courier, warehousing, logistics, production, and more. Check out our vacancy page and apply today.

Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net by panuruangjan