• TIN receives six RTG cranes at Walvis Bay port
• Investment follows $126.5 million terminal modernization financing deal
• Namibia expands logistics to rival South African ports amid delays

Terminal Investment Namibia (TIN) has received an initial batch of six rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes at the port of Walvis Bay. According to the operator, the cranes are expected to improve terminal productivity, increase throughput capacity and support higher cargo volumes.

The acquisition is part of an investment program that TIN launched after securing a 25-year concession to operate the port facility in 2024. In late 2024, the company signed a financing agreement with Standard Bank Namibia and RMB Namibia to raise 2.1 billion Namibian dollars (about $126.5 million) to modernize the container terminal and strengthen operational efficiency.

For Namport, the country’s port authority, the expansion is part of a national strategy to consolidate the logistics network and position Namibia as a credible regional alternative to South African ports, amid persistent operational constraints.

A significant share of the foreign trade of landlocked Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, including Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, is currently routed through South African ports, particularly Durban. Recurring delays and operational difficulties at those facilities are increasingly prompting those countries to diversify their logistics corridors, turning to alternatives such as Nacala and Maputo in Mozambique.

In parallel, Windhoek is stepping up investment in overland transport infrastructure. The Trans-Kalahari railway project, which aims to link Namibia with Botswana, is part of that effort. Similar initiatives are also being considered with Zambia, with the goal of deepening regional logistics integration.

Henoc Dossa