Niël Terblanché
As the festive season approaches, Namibia’s key seaports and terminal facilities announced adjusted working hours to ensure continued service delivery while accommodating public holidays and employee leave schedules.
Notifications from Namport and TIN Container Terminal outline plans to minimize disruptions during this busy period.
The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) detailed the working schedules for both the Port of Walvis Bay and the Port of Lüderitz.
According to Trevor Ndjadila, Namport’s Manager of Business Development, all administrative departments, general cargo terminals, and Syncrolift operations will be closed on 25 and 26 December 2024, as well as 1 January 2025.
He added that general cargo services may be available on 26 December upon prior request.
Ndjadila indicated that normal operations would resume on 27 December and continue into the new year starting 2 January 2025.
He stated that security and marine services at the Port of Walvis Bay will maintain normal operations throughout the holiday period.
He added that at the Port of Lüderitz, port cargo operations and marine services will function until 18:00 on 24 and 31 December, contingent on client requests.
“In the event of no operations, the port will close at 17:00. The Lüderitz port will observe full closures on 25 December and 1 January,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Terminal Investment Namibia (TIN) said the container terminal at the port of Walvis Bay has assured users of continued operations for vessel services during public holidays.
However, the terminal’s gate operations, responsible for handling import and export containers, will observe closures on 25 and 26 December as well as 1 January.
Monolito du Toit, manager for Customer Service Quality and Commercial at TIN Container Terminal, clarified that cut-off times for gate operations on 24 and 31 December will align with other stakeholders and will be communicated in due course.
Both Namport and TIN acknowledged the challenges posed by staff leave during the festive period.
“Gang deployment may be affected from mid-December to the first week of January,” he said.
According to Coetzee, these adjustments are a collaborative effort to ensure operational continuity and customer satisfaction during the holiday season.
Both entities stated that the ports are vital hubs for trade and logistics, balancing seasonal demands with the well-being of their staff and confirmed their commitment to minimising disruptions and maintaining essential services during this time.
The management and staff of Namport and TIN extended their wishes for a peaceful festive season and a prosperous New Year to all stakeholders.