Chapter

6 TASK IV - PORT DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS

6.1 ADEQUACY OF EXISTING PORT FACILITIES

105. For pelagic fish the existing fishing port facilities at W.B. will suffice but a northern base would afford definitive advantages, principally lower fuel costs and improved fish quality at landing, especially to purse-seiners fishing the northern pilchard and horse mackerel stocks. Although the W.B. facilities for mid-water trawlers are sufficient, the viability of this class of very large trawler is suspect. If they would be replaced by smaller vessels, additional fishing port provision would be needed.

106. Landing facilities as well as handling, processing and storage facilities for white fish are restricted at both W.B. and Lüderitz, especially for fish landed on ice and for smaller fishing vessels such as wet-fish trawlers and line-boats. The chief bottlenecks are:

i. private control of the only wharfage in the W.B. fishing port;

ii. alternative access only through freighter berths in the commercial port;

iii. cross-cutting jurisdictions and abdication of responsibilities by the RSA public sector bodies having
authority over the fishing port.

107. Irrespective of capacities at W.B., a North Coast fishing base would afford definitive advantages to small vessels targeting white fish in the northern sector.

108. As far as general cargo is concerned W.B. port facilities will be adequate until 2015, if W.B. remains fully accessible for Namibian use. See tables 45 and 46 (Approximate capacities of W.B. Commercial Port without and with expansion of dockside facilities).

TABLE 45: CAPACITY OF WALVIS BAY COMMERCIAL PORT

Cargo category	Throughput (000 t)	Berth lengths (m)	Berths
General Containers/ro-ro Bulk	2620 550 1710	750 280 370	4.3 1.5 2.2
Total Liquid	4880 1840	1400 190	8.0 1.0

TABLE 46: CAPACITY OF WALVIS BAY PORT WITH EXPANSION

Cargo category	Throughput (000 t)	Berth lengths (m)	Berths
General Containers/ro-ro Bulk	1940 620 4190	550 330 520	3.2 1.8 3.0
Total Liquid	6750 1840	1400 190	8.0 1.0

6.2 PORT OPTIONS AND LOCATIONS

109. The planning for future port facilities for Namibia is required to take account of both economic and strategic developments. Par.2 of this Study actualised three different strategic contexts which result in three port development options:

- Null Option: there are no additions to the existing ports, although new shoreside
infrastructure (e.g. for bulk loading) is built according to demand and as space
permits;

- Expansion Option: any new facilities are built at or near existing port facilities;

- New Port Option: some or all of any new or replacement facilities are located at one or more
new harbour sites.

110. The geographical locations for new port facilities were tentatively established:

a. Commercial port, central: The nearest economically feasible and suitable site north of W.B. is Cape Cross. For any site further north, facilities for anything more than the port community and its immediate hinterland cannot be justified on either economic or strategic grounds.

b. Fishing port, central: New or expanded fishing port facilities are required in the central zone in any case and cannot be adequately substituted by a northern fishing port. Again, Cape Cross is the most suitable location for the central sector and could also cover the northern fishing grounds (more adequately than W.B.).

c. Fishing port, northern: A medium-sized northern fishing port can be justified for the long term on grounds of improved access to the northern fish stocks irrespective of developments in the central zone. Cape Fria or Angra Fria are disadvantaged by its remoteness and by difficulties of land access through or around the sand-dune belt. Möwe Bay appears on balance the most suitable location. Again, Cape Cross could be a compromise between the requirements of the central and northern zones.

6.3 PORT OPTIONS UNDER STRATEGIC CONTEXTS

111. Table 47 gives a summary of port developments under the different port option scenarios:

TABLE 47: PORT OPTIONS UNDER STRATEGIC CONTEXTS

Location	Type	Null option	Expansion option	New port option
Strategic context 1: Namibian sovereignty established
Lüderitz	F	Limited private sector development for white fish	L1: Expanded fishing harbour; zonal landings: most southern	L1: Expanded fishing harbour; zonal landings: most southern
Walvis Bay	C	Limited bulk handling facilities like salt	WB 1: Additional handling and storage facilities by operators; under the rapid growth scenario, planning after 2005 for future seaward extension	WB 1: Additional handling and storage facilities by operators; under the rapid growth scenario, planning after 2005 for future seaward extension
Walvis Bay	F	Limited private sector development, mainly for white fish	WB1-B: existing fishing harbour developed, or WB1-D: northern fishing harbour extension; zonal landings: all central and northern, mainly of white fish	WB1-A: existing fishing harbour developed, or WB1-C: northern fishing harbour extension; zonal landings: all central, minor part of northern, mainly of white fish
Cape Cross	C	-	-	-
Cape Cross	F	-	-	-
Möwe Bay	F	-	-	MB1: new fishing harbour; zonal landings: most of northern
Summary		-	L1, WB1-B or -D	L1, WB1-A or -C, MB1
Strategic Context 2: Namibian sovereignty not established, joint administration
Lüderitz	F	Limited private sector development for white fish	L1: Expanded fishing harbour; zonal landings: most southern	L1: Expanded fishing harbour; zonal landings: most southern
Walvis Bay	C	-	-	-
Walvis Bay	F	Limited private sector development, mainly for white fish	Limited private sector development, mainly for white fish	Limited private sector development, mainly for white fish
Cape Cross	C	-	-	Under rapid growth scenario, planning after 2005 for future new harbour or commercial extension to fishing harbour
Cape Cross	F	-	CC1-D: new fishing harbour; zonal landings: all central and northern, mainly of white fish	CC1-C: new fishing harbour; zonal landings: all central, minor part of northern, mainly of white fish
Möwe Bay	F	-	-	MB1: new fishing harbour; zonal landings: most of northern
Summary		-	L1, CC1-D	L1, CC1-C, MB1
Strategic Context 3: Namibian sovereignty not established, Walvis Bay replaced
Lüderitz	F	Limited private sector development for white fish	L1: Expanded fishing harbour; zonal landings: most southern	L1: Expanded fishing harbour; zonal landings: most southern
Walvis Bay	C	Run down	Run down	Run down
Walvis Bay	F	Run down	Run down	Run down
Cape Cross	C	-	CC1-B New commercial harbour replicating facilities at Walvis Bay; under rapid growth scenario, planning after 2005 for future extension	CC1-A: New commercial harbour replicating facilities at Walvis Bay; under rapid growth scenario, planning after 2005 for future extension
Cape Cross	F	-	CC1-B: new fishing harbour; zonal landings: all central and northern, of both pelagic & white fish	CC1-A: new fishing harbour; zonal landings: all central, minor part of northern, of both pelagic & white fish
Möwe Bay	F	-	-	MB1: new fishing harbour; zonal landings: most of northern
Summary		-	L1, CC1-B	L1, CC1-A, MB1

NOTA: Type: F = fishing harbour; C = commercial harbour.

Alternatives like L1, WB1, CC1, MB1 etc. should be regarded as building components for the specific port options.