The prospects of discovering oil on Namibian territory, together with the port of Walvis Bay expansion programme, have heightened expectations of higher revenues from the second floating dock that is expected to arrive in Walvis Bay by the end of May. The decision to purchase a second floating dock was taken following a feasibility study undertaken last year to determine the viability of extending the current operations.

The Namdock floating dock currently in use at the port of Walvis Bay.

The current floating dock, christened Namdock, managed to record a turnover of more than N$100 million in a span of a year with jobs on queue booked months in advance. Major ship repairing, particularly the servicing of the oil ocean-equipment and vessels, is a first for Namibia. Yet besides the relatively inexperienced Namibian team – most of the Namibian technicians and engineers had less experience and had to learn much on the job with supervision from highly skilled experts from around the world – the industry took off with thunder.
Walvis Bay Port received its first oilrig for repair in mid 2006, merely months after the arrival of the floating dock, and the second rig in November 2007.
The close proximity of Walvis Bay port to the booming oil fields of the African west coast is the advantage. Prior to that ship, repairing was only available in Cape Town and Durban.
Elgin Brown & Hammer (EBH) Namibia and Namibia Ports Authorities jointly operate the current floating dock. An international ship repair contracting company with major workshops in Durban, South Africa, EBH is reputed as the only ship repair company in southern Africa which owns and operates its own dock facilities.
In South Africa, the company also has access to the state-owned graving and floating dock facilities operated by South Africa National Port Authority. It is also expected that the second floating dock will be co-owned by the Namibia Ports Authorities and the private sector.
The current floating dock was bought in Malta for N$30 million. Namdock has the capacity to lift vessels of up to 150 metres long, 25 metres wide and with a weight of up to 8500 metric tonnes.
The price tag for the second floating dock is put at N$70 million, together with further capital injection. The second dock is expected to double the turnover to more than N$200 million.
There are about 300 people currently employed by Namdock with a further 100 person employed indirectly through subcontracting companies.