Walvis Bay to handle Botswana coal

The Namibian Port of Walvis Bay is being made ready to assume a new role as a main export facility for outbound consignments of coal from neighbouring Botswana. It has been agreed in principal to build a dedicated railway line linking the two countries, while Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) is to upgrade the port.

According to Namport CEO, Bisey Uirab, coal deposits in Botswana are huge, prompting the government of that country to consider various options on how to best export it, with Walvis Bay extremely well placed.

Botswana’s Morupule coal deposit is one of the largest in the world and could generate annual output in excess of 100 million tonnes. Botswana already operates a dry port at Walvis Bay.