The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) says the country’s Logistics Masterplan is undergoing a major revision to better align with the needs of the mining, energy, and emerging industrial sectors, including green hydrogen and oil and gas.
Namport Chief Executive Officer Andrew Kanime said the update is necessary to reflect the current economic landscape and accommodate industries that were not anticipated when the original plan was developed more than a decade ago.
“We now have more industries that were not there like 10 years ago. We need to cater for those industries that we didn’t anticipate facilitating. There is also a need to include the new sectors like green hydrogen and oil and gas and drive them to build industries,” Kanime said.
The revised masterplan will shift focus from warehousing to the development of industrial hubs, with the aim of attracting international investors to establish value-adding facilities.
“The process has changed, and we need to change the masterplan to focus on setting up industries. We were geared for warehouses, but now we must make provision for industrial hubs and plants that benefit this growth. We need to zone land to attract international players to set up factories and properly benefit from exports,” Kanime explained.
Port connectivity and congestion,particularly at the new container terminal in Walvis Bay,are also being addressed in the updated plan. The terminal has evolved into a key transshipment hub, drawing increased traffic linked to regional trade and demand from the mining and energy sectors.
“At the time the master plan was developed, there was no anticipation of congestion at the new container terminal. Now, Walvis has become a transshipment hub attracting much more business, including cargo destined for neighbouring countries,” said Kanime.
The review comes as Namibia falls short of its goal to become a regional logistics hub by 2025, a target set out in the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP4).
Delays in upgrading rail, aviation, and regulatory infrastructure have contributed to the missed deadline.
