Kaleido, TransNamib Launch Namibia Freight Rail Corridor

By Simon West

Kaleido Logistics and Namibia’s state-owned rail operator TransNamib have launched a new freight rail corridor linking the port of Walvis Bay with the inland town of Karibib, aiming to shift bulk cargo from road to rail and strengthen Namibia’s logistics network.

Kaleido said the Walvis Bay-Karibib corridor began operations in July alongside the opening of a new Kaleido logistics hub in Karibib, located on TransNamib’s rail network to support cargo handling, storage and transshipment.

The facility will initially focus on consolidating marble and granite blocks, as well as other freight, offering rail as a lower-cost alternative to road haulage for shippers in the region.

The rail service is expected to initially transport up to 25,000 tonnes of freight per month, replacing some 735 truck journeys and cutting carbon emissions by an estimated 900 tonnes of CO₂ annually.

“The launch of this rail corridor, together with the opening of our new logistics hub in Karibib, represents a strategic step in strengthening our presence in Namibia and continuing to develop integrated logistics solutions across African transport corridors,” said Xoán Martínez, CEO of Kaleido Logistics.

TransNamib CEO Desmond van Jaarsveld said the partnership formed part of the company's strategy to restore rail as the backbone of Namibia’s freight network, providing more efficient and sustainable transport while supporting the country’s ambition to become a regional logistics hub.

The corridor is based on a cargo consolidation model that combines rail with ocean freight and road transport, allowing bulk and containerized cargo to move through a single logistics network. Kaleido has deployed similar models in Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Read more: Kaleido Logistics Expands Footprint in Africa