Walvis Bay and Swakopmund have seen a significant uptick in travel, tourism, and hospitality services related to vessel crew changes, said Elias Mwenyo, Namport’s Executive Head of Commercial Operations.
He said Namibia’s only deepwater port has seen an increase of 22% in maritime traffic, including passenger liners, calling at Walvis to refuel and restock.
The retail, relaxation and re-staffing elements attached to vessel refreshment, have come as an added benefit to the increase in seaborne traffic around the Cape because of the Suez Crisis.
“We’re definitely seeing more traffic because of what’s happening in the Red Sea,” he said, referring to sea trade avoiding travelling south of the Suez Canal where Houthi rebels from Yemen have been attacking vessels out of opposition to what’s happening in Gaza.
“The increase in vessel visits is not all we have seen,” Mwenyo said.
“We’re also seeing an increase in crew changes because bigger vessels use the port’s…
