Walvis Bay Waterfront and Marina, Namibia
Walvis Bay is a unique settlement 1400 km north of Cape Town. The natural features of the area, thriving sea life, and pleasant atmosphere of the community make Walvis Bay a special place.
WA Yachting Consultants was invited to participate in an international tender by the Namibian Port Authority (Namport) for a new waterfront and marina in Walvis Bay. To meet the full spectrum of needs of the project, we formed a winning team with Waterfronts NL partner Royal HaskoningDHV. The first phase of the study was completed in 2014 with the main objectives of creating an integrated plan for a new marina and waterfront in terms of technical-, financial-, environmental- and socio economic feasibility.
Walvis Bay is a significant site for both land and water-based activities along the coast of Namibia. It is an important industrial port for the whole region, and also a strategic recreational location in the overall yachting network of Africa’s southwest coast. For local residents and tourists, it is also the place to recreate.
Waterfronts NL partners Royal HaskoningDHV and WA Yachting Consultants completed a plan for a marina and waterfront development in terms of technical-, financial-, environmental- and socio-economic feasibility.
The Waterfronts NL team conducted interviews with a dozen different stakeholder groups and assessed the local context and existing infrastructure. The natural features of the area, thriving sea life, and pleasant atmosphere of the community make Walvis Bay a special place, and the existing land and water infrastructure were also assessed to ensure the project would make a sound investment. Assessments of future development commitments, demographics, natural wildlife and habitats, tourism, coastal conditions, yachting and water sports, the cruise industry and environmental impacts were undertaken to identify any showstoppers for development, and assess the level of risk of each.
The plan is based on the following priorities:
- Integrated development – Marina and waterfront as the centrepiece along the Walvis Bay waterfront
- Benchmark peers
- Stakeholder participation
- Ownership and Management
- Early Identification of (environmental or otherwise) showstoppers
- Development of a plan that is geared to gain interest from a project developer