The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) has welcomed the recent strong show of support from Tsodilo Resources for Namibia’s ongoing railway infrastructure upgrades and expansion plans.
The developments, particularly the rehabilitation of the Walvis Bay-Tsumeb railway line and the planned extension from Grootfontein to Katima Mulilo under the Trans-Zambezi Railway initiative, are critical to strengthening Namibia’s position as the preferred trade route for southern Africa.
Tsodilo Resources Ltd, a Botswana-based mineral exploration company, has expressed interest in using the Walvis Bay Corridors to export its high-grade iron ore.
The company has plans to construct a rail link in Botswana that will connect via Divundu, further emphasising the strategic importance of the Grootfontein-Katima Mulilo expansion.
“The upgrade of the Walvis Bay-Tsumeb railway line is incredibly positive, and it will enable us to handle shipments of over 20 million tonnes per year of high-grade iron (+67%) product to Walvis Bay. We have been engaging Namibia’s Ministry of Works and Transport, TransNamib and WBCG in evaluating various transport routes for our products, including Walvis Bay and the future port facility in the vicinity of Cape Fria in the Kunene region,” stated James Bruchs, chief executive officer of Tsodilo Resources.
Furthermore, he added that connecting through either Divundu or Katima Mulilo provides Namibia and southern Africa, with a world-class logistics hub linkage to international markets.
Mbahupu Tjivikua, WBCG’s chief executive officer, noted that Tsodilo Resources’ commitment aligns with Namibia’s national development agenda of becoming the logistics hub for southern Africa.
“We continue to champion regional integration through advocating for improved infrastructure. The collaboration with Tsodilo Resources is a positive step toward unlocking the full potential of the Walvis Bay Corridors. This project supports our broader vision of facilitating the smooth flow of trade through strategic partnerships.”
In support of Tsodilo Resources project, WBCG is facilitating a stakeholder workshop that will include Tsodilo Resources, TransNamib, Namport and the ministries of works and transport of both Namibia and Botswana. The workshop will address supply chain coordination and infrastructure solutions to support the proposed rail developments.- Tsodilo Resources
