AGL’s new Walvis Bay terminal expands Namibia’s cargo capacity
Port continues to evolve into regional hub
The N$200 million Walvis Bay Multipurpose Terminal (WMT) was officially inaugurated on Tuesday at Namport.
With the multimillion-dollar investment by Africa Global Logistics (AGL), which will also manage the terminal, WMT is set to enhance operations and provide the capacity to manage sensitive cargo requiring covered storage.
The new terminal addresses a previous shortage of warehouse capacity, which had restricted the handling of certain sensitive cargo. The facility will support bulk and break-bulk operations, improve turnaround times and enhance service reliability for regional exporters and importers.
Ben Stemming, AGL managing director, said the terminal reflects a strong belief in Namibia’s potential.
“Namibia provides a highly credible alternative corridor and gateway to the traditional regional routes,” he said.
"With improved and continually evolving global connectivity, coupled with increasingly competitive freight rates driven by more regular vessel calls at TIN, the Port of Walvis Bay is becoming a far more connected and globally competitive environment,” Stemming added.
More development
He added that this year, the AGL group began construction on two oil and gas bases under the AGL Energies brand – a 25-hectare base in Walvis Bay and a 5-hectare base in Lüderitz.
“Both projects began within the last month and will represent state-of-the-art facilities, ready by Q3 or early Q4 next year, as Namibia transitions from exploration to production in the oil and gas sector. These two developments, under AGL Energies—our local content company in Namibia—are progressing rapidly. In addition, AGL Namibia, our freight forwarding division, acquired a 6.5-hectare piece of land earlier this year.”
In partnership with MSC, AGL launched depot operations at the beginning of August and reefer operations in October.
“To date, we have handled around 20 000 TEUs through this depot. This alignment has significantly strengthened our export operations and enhances the value chain that feeds into WMT,” Stemming noted.
Shared vision
Namport CEO Andrew Kanime explained that the land for the AGL development was allocated through a public tender process. Kanime praised the company’s capabilities and its alignment with Namport’s long-term vision.
“The state-of-the-art facility we see today is a direct reflection of AGL’s expertise and their shared vision for Walvis Bay,” he said.
Kanime stressed that logistics development must support Namibia’s broader goals of industrialisation and value addition.
He said the AGL warehouse is not just a logistical asset but a stepping stone toward a future in which Walvis Bay evolves into a fully-fledged industrial hub for southern Africa.
“Our vision is to export not only what we have but also what we create. As our partnership with AGL grows, we expect this site to evolve from a logistics facility into a vibrant industrial centre – a place where goods are not only stored but also assembled, processed, and distributed,” he said.
State-of-the-art facility
The facility has been constructed to handle hazardous, non-hazardous, food-grade, chemical, bulk, break-bulk and containerised cargo.
Current investments at the terminal include two 7 000-square-metre warehouses, modern fire detection and suppression systems, a 733 000-litre water reservoir to support those systems, full CCTV coverage across the site and within the warehouses for off-site monitoring, and 24-hour manned security. Additionally, the site is equipped with an on-site weighbridge and handling equipment to facilitate the storage and movement of cargo for services that will be offered in the coming years.
WMT is currently operating the site on a 25-year concession and is situated approximately 200 metres from the quayside.
With a target of handling one million tonnes of cargo by 2027, the terminal also aims to grow its workforce from seven employees to 50 by the end of next year, with contractual employment opportunities for an additional 150 staff. Annually, approximately N$116 million will be spent within the local community on goods and services.
With the multimillion-dollar investment by Africa Global Logistics (AGL), which will also manage the terminal, WMT is set to enhance operations and provide the capacity to manage sensitive cargo requiring covered storage.
The new terminal addresses a previous shortage of warehouse capacity, which had restricted the handling of certain sensitive cargo. The facility will support bulk and break-bulk operations, improve turnaround times and enhance service reliability for regional exporters and importers.
Ben Stemming, AGL managing director, said the terminal reflects a strong belief in Namibia’s potential.
“Namibia provides a highly credible alternative corridor and gateway to the traditional regional routes,” he said.
"With improved and continually evolving global connectivity, coupled with increasingly competitive freight rates driven by more regular vessel calls at TIN, the Port of Walvis Bay is becoming a far more connected and globally competitive environment,” Stemming added.
More development
He added that this year, the AGL group began construction on two oil and gas bases under the AGL Energies brand – a 25-hectare base in Walvis Bay and a 5-hectare base in Lüderitz.
“Both projects began within the last month and will represent state-of-the-art facilities, ready by Q3 or early Q4 next year, as Namibia transitions from exploration to production in the oil and gas sector. These two developments, under AGL Energies—our local content company in Namibia—are progressing rapidly. In addition, AGL Namibia, our freight forwarding division, acquired a 6.5-hectare piece of land earlier this year.”
In partnership with MSC, AGL launched depot operations at the beginning of August and reefer operations in October.
“To date, we have handled around 20 000 TEUs through this depot. This alignment has significantly strengthened our export operations and enhances the value chain that feeds into WMT,” Stemming noted.
Shared vision
Namport CEO Andrew Kanime explained that the land for the AGL development was allocated through a public tender process. Kanime praised the company’s capabilities and its alignment with Namport’s long-term vision.
“The state-of-the-art facility we see today is a direct reflection of AGL’s expertise and their shared vision for Walvis Bay,” he said.
Kanime stressed that logistics development must support Namibia’s broader goals of industrialisation and value addition.
He said the AGL warehouse is not just a logistical asset but a stepping stone toward a future in which Walvis Bay evolves into a fully-fledged industrial hub for southern Africa.
“Our vision is to export not only what we have but also what we create. As our partnership with AGL grows, we expect this site to evolve from a logistics facility into a vibrant industrial centre – a place where goods are not only stored but also assembled, processed, and distributed,” he said.
State-of-the-art facility
The facility has been constructed to handle hazardous, non-hazardous, food-grade, chemical, bulk, break-bulk and containerised cargo.
Current investments at the terminal include two 7 000-square-metre warehouses, modern fire detection and suppression systems, a 733 000-litre water reservoir to support those systems, full CCTV coverage across the site and within the warehouses for off-site monitoring, and 24-hour manned security. Additionally, the site is equipped with an on-site weighbridge and handling equipment to facilitate the storage and movement of cargo for services that will be offered in the coming years.
WMT is currently operating the site on a 25-year concession and is situated approximately 200 metres from the quayside.
With a target of handling one million tonnes of cargo by 2027, the terminal also aims to grow its workforce from seven employees to 50 by the end of next year, with contractual employment opportunities for an additional 150 staff. Annually, approximately N$116 million will be spent within the local community on goods and services.
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