Seagull Fish Processors Limited is a joint venture between Merlus Fishing Limited and nine other fishing companies. (Photo: republikein.com.na)

Two new fish processing plants start operations in Walvis Bay

NAMIBIA
Thursday, September 20, 2018, 01:30 (GMT + 9)

The recent opening of a fresh fish factory, an ice plant and a squid factory, apart from a jetty construction, at Walvis Bay represent a significant capital investment in Namibia's fishing sector as well as the creation of about 400 new permanent jobs.

The opening ceremony was headed by Fisheries Minister Bernhard Esau, who stressed that the investments in the fishing sector amount to NAD 130 million (USD 8.7 million), The Namibian reported.

For his part, Seagull Fish Processors director Julio Lloves said the fresh fish factory will ensure the European markets for Namibian hake get the freshest product in the shortest time possible.

The plant will process an average of 30 tonnes of hake a day for the local and international markets, while the new ice plant will produce a tonne of ice a day for factories and vessels.

Seagull Fish Processors Limited is a joint venture between Merlus Fishing Limited and nine other fishing companies, seven of them new, which will process, package and distribute high quality seafood products in southern Africa and elsewhere.

On the other hand, the new squid plant, called Seafresh, developed by Tunacor and Corvima with their 12 right holders, adds value to squid caught in Argentinian waters off the western Atlantic, bought and imported in raw form to Namibia, where it is sorted, cleaned and packaged for the local and international markets.

Seafresh will process squid from the Atlantic Ocean into calamari rings and tubes for both local consumption and export.

Tunacor's managing director Peya Hitula during the official opening of the factory said they expect to process about 10 metric tons of calamari daily.

Minister of fisheries and marine resources Bernhardt Esau during the opening ceremony. (Photo: republikein.com.na)

Apart from that, Tunacor also celebrated another milestone with the completion of a new jetty it constructed for NAD 35 million (USD 2.3 million). The new jetty will also make it possible for larger vessels to dock on either side of it simultaneously and offload fish for land-based operations.

Hitula noted that both the construction of the squid factory and jetty was aimed at adding value to Namibian fish products.

"Apart from that, the jetty is an investment which will secure the company's capabilities to cater for larger vessels and will be crucial for the latest addition of horse mackerel land-based value addition," he said.

Esau congratulated the companies on hearing the government's call for investments and value-addition that has led to job creation.

He also praised the ownership structure of the two new business ventures which comprise several rights holders and operators.

“This is a healthy marriage, built on trust. We do not want to see divorces. This is beneficial to the industry as it imparts many skills, strengthens capital acquisitions of the communities they represent, and benefits investors. This is a win-win situation,” said Esau.

 
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