Walvis Bay an ideal gateway for Brazilian goods
Namibian port well-positioned
Brazilian investors have been encouraged to ship goods via the Walvis Bay port owing to its closeness to South America.
Brazilian businesses have been encouraged to use the Port of Walvis Bay as an entry point into southern Africa, as it is strategically positioned to efficiently move goods and services from across the region.This is according to Walvis Bay Corridor Group CEO Hippy Tjivikua, who said the port offers Brazilian businesses a key advantage, enabling faster and more efficient trade within the region.
“If you look at the distances between the Port of Rio de Janeiro and Walvis Bay, you realise that basically the distance is 5 863 kilometres (km). If you compare to Luanda, it's a longer distance, 6 191 km, the Port of Durban is even further at 8 730 km,” Tjivikua said at the Brazil-NNamibia business forum held earlier this week.
Capitalise on opportunity
Tjivikua said the shorter distance between the Port of Walvis Bay and ports in Brazil is an opportunity that should be capitalised on.
“The Port of Walvis Bay is the shortest distance from the ports in Brazil; we need to capitalise on that,” he said.
The Port of Walvis Bay further lends itself to lower lead times compared to other ports within neighbouring Angola and South Africa, TJivikua pointed out.
Tjivikua pointed out that for a vessel to sail from Rio de Janeiro to Walvis Bay, it will take 13 days; to Luanda, it will take 16 days and to Durban, 20 days.
He said that by using the Walvis Bay port, Brazilian goods can reach the market faster and more efficiently.
“The value proposition for Brazil is that we can offer direct shipping from Brazil to the Port of Walvis Bay. We are the gateway to the Southern African Development Community (SADC),” he added.