MUCH assessment to be conducted in Port of Lüderitz

The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) will commence with the process of conducting specialist environmental impact assessment studies to assess any social and environmental impacts related to its planned expansion at the Port of Lüderitz.


The first phase of the N$ 4 billion expansion will include constructing a 500-metre quay wall at a depth of 9 metres and reclaiming 14 hectares of land. One of the specialist studies that will be carried out is a maritime and underwater heritage (MUCH) assessment at the location where Namport wishes to carry out the port expansion project, east of Shark Island. “Since we will not physically touch Shark Island, the specialist studies dealing with the island are focused on indirect impacts of noise and aesthetics. We are also carrying out both above-ground and underwater archaeological studies,” Namport CEO Andrew Kanime informed Chief Johannes Frederick of the !Aman Traditional Authority in an email (seen by this publication) dated 27 June 2025. According to Kanime, the expected time of completion for the studies is mid-August 2025. “Another round of public and key stakeholder consultations will then be conducted to present the findings and guide the way forward,” he said.


Credible process - Kanime extended an invitation to Chief Frederick to attend or send representatives to observe the driving inspections during the week of 1 July 2025. He gave the assurance that the MUCH assessment would be conducted by a highly experienced maritime archaeologist from South Africa, Vanessa Maitland. “All the paperwork and permits to conduct the MUCH assessment have been obtained. The assessment will first involve a magnetometer survey of the seabed, followed by diving searches where any anomalies are detected. This will be followed by diver searches to search for any underwater objects of heritage value close to the shoreline of Shark Island,” Kanime said.


Schedule - The planned fieldwork schedule indicates that the assessment will commence with the Magnetometer Survey on 1 July 2025, followed by diving to any wrecks detected during the Magnetometer Survey on 2 July. The assessment will conclude with a diving exercise near the Shark Island shoreline on 3 July and 4 July. If no wreck diving is required, the Shark Island diving exercise will occur on 2 and 3 July 2025.


Increasing capacity - Kanime emphasised that the expansion of the port at Robert Harbour is aimed at increasing capacity for the current port activities such as the fishing and mining activities in the south of Namibia. “The expansion will create much-needed capacity for the booming oil and gas logistics industry that is mainly serviced from the Port of Walvis Bay. We intend to create adequate capacity to ensure that Lüderitz and the surrounding region at large can play the main role in supporting the offshore oil and gas fields in the Orange basin. Without additional port capacity, Lüderitz and its residents will not benefit from the Port of Walvis Bay by serving in this role. This will deprive the Lüertiz area of development opportunities,” he said. “The planned port expansion project would see the first half of the envisioned capacity boost commissioned by 2027, in time to serve the oil and gas industry’s capacity needs for the construction of the oil fields," Kanime concluded.