Business Reporter
National Railways of Zimbabwe subsidiary, Road Motor Service has started preparatory work at the country’s Walvis Bay dry port in Namibia as plans to commence construction begin to take shape.
The Government was granted 19 000 square metres of land by the Namibia government in September 2009 to construct its own dry port that is expected to boost trade.
The project is being spearheaded by the Road Motor Services, a subsidiary of the National Railways of Zimbabwe but has been affected by financial constrains.
Construction was supposed to resume in November last year when the Common Markets for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) promised to avail $1,4 million for the project.
RMS managing director Mr Cosmos Mutakaya said preparatory work is underway with hope of resuming construction.
“There are plans to resume the work at the facility so basically preparatory work is underway at the project.
“There are arrangements which are currently being pursued at Government level to mobilise funding for the project,” said Mr Mutakaya.
“As RMS we are just doing preparatory work so that when the main construction starts we don’t need to start running around.”
Last year Comesa promised funding for the project but up to now no funding has been received and from then development of the place has been put on hold.
Mr Mutakaya said construction of the dry port is supposed to be done in two phases. The first phase is going to involve the civil works which includes construction of the drive-in weighbridge, storage shades, palisade fencing as well as installation of electric catwalks. Phase two involves putting up of administration blocks.
He said the dry port will start operating once phase one is complete.
“I understand there are steps taken by Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development to make sure the construction resumes but it’s only the ministry that has the mandate to furnish you with details pertaining to the raising of funds for the project,” Mr Mutakaya said.
The project was supposed to have been completed by May last year.
Zimbabwe’s trade volumes through Walvis Bay have grown significantly to more than 2 500 tonnes per month.
In a related development, the Namibian Ports Authority is also working on expanding Walvis Bay port and has secured a $338 million loan from the African Development Bank to finance the construction of a new container terminal at Port of Walvis Bay.