1 065 008 tonnes of cargo transported in Sep

Namibia transported 1 065 008 tonnes of cargo in September 2023, compared to 1 157 055 tonnes and 969 870 tonnes that were transported in August, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).

Looking at the mode of transport, a total of 625 468 tonnes of cargo was transported by sea in September 2023 as opposed to 689 580 tonnes and 483 281 tonnes registered in August 2023 and in the corresponding month of 2022, respectively.

In addition, a total of 317 972 tonnes of goods were transported via road during the month of September 2023, as opposed to 415 835 tonnes and 342 624 tonnes that were recorded in August 2023 and in the corresponding month of 2022, respectively.

During the period under review, petroleum oils recorded the highest volumes of 28 234 tonnes transported by road, followed by maize (24 154 tonnes) and portland cement, aluminous cement, persulphate cement (14 773 tonnes) in second and third place, respectively.

Furthermore, a total of 121 347 tonnes of cargo was transported via rail during the review period, as opposed to 51 388 tonnes recorded in August 2023 and 143 517 tonnes registered in the corresponding month of 2022, NSA said.

Air

Moreover, 220 tonnes of goods were transported via air in the month of September 2023 compared to 251 tonnes and 447 tonnes recorded in August 2023 and in the corresponding month of 2022, respectively.

For the month of September 2023, transportation via air of molluscs, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine and smoked molluscs’ accounted the most (21 tonnes), NSA added.

Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical and dental sciences’ accounted for 14 tonnes and crustaceans, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted, and both smoked crustaceans and cooked crustaceans (11 tonnes) into second and third place, respectively.

Medicaments of mixed or unmixed products for retail (8 tonnes) also featured amongst the top 5 consignments transported by air.

All in all, the transport cargo index recorded a monthly decrease of 8.0% in September, as opposed to an increase of 27.3% that recorded in August. Conversely, the index increased by 9.8% year-on-year, NSA said.