Container terminal planned at Gobabis

TransNamib Holdings and Botswana Railways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see a container terminal developed at Gobabis.

The agreement was signed by the chief executive officer of TransNamib, Johny Smith, and the chief executive officer of Botswana Railways, Leonard Musa, in Gaborone on Monday.

“The MoU signals the beginning of a beneficial relationship to develop and enhance trade between the two countries,” TransNamib spokesperson Ailly Hangula-Paulino said in a statement.

Hangula-Paulino said the cooperation will help open up import and export opportunities. This will help unlock the value of the Trans-Kalahari route, even though the two countries have not yet been linked by rail.

“This MoU will serve as the short- to medium-term partnership to connect the two rail companies via rail-road intermodal service,” she said.

She explained that the intermodal linkage from Walvis Bay to Gobabis will replace the road transportation return trip which is about 1 200 kilometres.

“This agreement serves as impetus and should bring back life into rail again. We hope this serves as a starting point to assist the two governments to develop the Trans-Kalahari railway project,” Hangula-Paulino said.

The MoU will also help the two parties to collaborate in train plan automatisation, signalling systems, level crossings, siding connectivity, human capital-related learnings and growth, she said. - Nampa