A container ship is berthed at the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia. The deep-water port has become a key gateway for regional trade, linking southern Africa with international shipping routes and supporting economic integration across the continent.

NNA News - Namibia's Atlantic coast is emerging as a strategic trade gateway for southern Africa, with investment in port infrastructure, transport corridors and logistics strengthening regional connectivity and expanding access to international markets. Centred on the deep-water Port of Walvis Bay, the transformation is linking landlocked countries in southern and central Africa to global trade routes while supporting Namibia's ambitions to become a regional logistics hub.

Walvis Bay, Namibia's only deep-water harbour, has long been one of the most strategically important ports along Africa's southwestern coastline. The neighbouring coastal towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund also reflect the country's colonial history, shaped by successive Portuguese, British, German and South African rule before Namibia gained full control of Walvis Bay in 1994.

Today, the port is playing a growing role in regional trade. A new container terminal, developed by the Namibian Ports Authority with financing from the African Development Bank and constructed by China Harbour Engineering Company, has significantly expanded the port's handling capacity. According to project information cited in the report, the terminal doubled annual container capacity from about 350,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to 750,000 TEUs, while reducing average vessel waiting times to less than eight hours.

Flamingos feed in the Walvis Bay Lagoon with the Port of Walvis Bay visible in the background. The lagoon is one of southern Africa's most important coastal wetlands, while the nearby port has become a key gateway for regional trade and logistics.

The expanded port is connected to transport corridors linking Namibia with Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa, providing faster access for exports and imports across the region. Namibia's fishing industry also remains a major contributor to the coastal economy. According to the Namibia Statistics Agency, fisheries and aquaculture exports reached approximately US$794 million in 2024, with about 90 percent of the country's catch exported to international markets. The sector supports around 16,000 direct jobs, largely in Walvis Bay and Lüderitz.

In addition to seafood exports, Namibia has expanded shipments of salt, minerals and manufactured products through Walvis Bay, while imports of machinery, fertiliser and consumer goods continue to grow. The report also highlights Chinese investment in projects such as the Husab uranium mine, which has created local employment while contributing to Namibia's mining sector. The growth of the port has coincided with rapid urban expansion. Walvis Bay's population has increased from just over 20,000 people in 1994 to more than 100,000, according to Namibia's 2023 census, reflecting its growing importance as a commercial and logistics centre.

An aerial view shows the coastal town of Swakopmund bordering the Namib Desert in western Namibia. The town, together with neighbouring Walvis Bay, plays an important role in Namibia's tourism, trade and transport sectors.

Regional leaders say continued investment in transport infrastructure and trade corridors is expected to strengthen economic integration across southern Africa and create new opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).