Namport defends itself against poor world bank container port performance rating

By: Hertha Ekandjo

The Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) has strongly defended its container handling performance following a poor rating by the World Bank in its 2024 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI).

According to the World Bank’s latest report, Namport was ranked 376th out of 405 ports globally, based on efficiency metrics such as ship turnaround time, the duration from a vessel’s arrival to its departure and the amount of cargo handled during that period.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Namport acknowledged the report’s findings but stressed that the results were influenced by global and regional factors that affected port operations across Southern Africa.

Namport explained that geopolitical disruptions, particularly the Red Sea crisis, led to the rerouting of several global shipping lines around the Cape of Good Hope, resulting in a significant increase in vessel traffic at the Port of Walvis Bay.

“This surge included very large container and cargo vessels that would not normally call at Walvis Bay, placing additional operational demands on marine resources such as tug and pilotage services,” Namport said.

“Despite this, the port prioritised the safe and efficient handling of all vessels within port limits, including those requiring extended manoeuvring time within the basin.”

Namport further emphasised that most Southern African ports experienced similar challenges and recorded lower performance scores in the 2024 CPPI, largely due to the same global disruptions.

Despite the lower ranking, the authority highlighted that Namibia’s ports have shown relative improvement compared to previous years, reflecting steady progress in operational capacity and service delivery amid global challenges.

Looking ahead, Namport reaffirmed its confidence in ongoing infrastructure investments and efficiency improvements aimed at enhancing the port of Walvis Bay’s competitiveness.