WINDHOEK, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Expansion project of the Namibian Walvis Bay port, a gateway for international trade will be delayed for a year after discovery of dead organic matter on the seabed.
A new terminal was supposed to be commissioned this month, however discovery of dead organic matter beneath the sea is hindering the progress, said chief executive officer of Namibia Port Authority (NAMPORT), Bisey Uirab on Friday.
"We have found some material that is, bio-deposit of millions of years about 30 metres below the sea bed, which has the potential of compromising the quality of the key wall 20 years down the road," said Uirab.
According to him, the project execution and bringing in of equipment will be delayed by at least a year, which will have an impact on operation efficiency levels.
Development of a new terminal is aimed at increasing the amount of cargo the Walvis Bay port can handle and will further enable the harbour to use modern cranes, accommodate larger and longer vessels and create employment opportunities.
Meanwhile, Uirab said that specialized engineers have been brought in to study and examine on the organic matters discovered. The cost of the delay is estimated at 14 million U.S. dollars.
