PORT OF WALVIS BAY SADC GATEWAY STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Assessed by: Assessed for: November 2016 Project: STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE NEW PORT OF WALVIS BAY SADC GATEWAY Report Final Version/Date 1 November 2016 Prepared for: Namibia Port Authority P O Box 361 Walvis Bay Namibia Lead Geo Pollution Technologies (Pty) Ltd TEL.: (+264-61) 257411 Consultant PO Box 11073 FAX.: (+264) 88626368 Windhoek Namibia Main Project Pierre Botha (Leader) Team (B.Sc. Geology/Geography); (B.Sc. (Hons) Hydrology/Hydrogeology) André Faul (B.Sc. Zoology, Biochemistry); (B.Sc. (Hons) Zoology); (M.Sc. Conservation Ecology) Philip Hooks (B.Sc. Botany, Environmental/Geography); (B.Sc. (Hons) Botany/Ecology); (Higher Diploma of Education (HDE)) Leejuan Brews (B.Sc. Conservation Ecology) Cite this Botha, P., Faul, A., Hooks. P., Brews. L., November 2016. Strategic document as: Environmental Assessment for the New Port of Walvis Bay SADC Gateway Copyright Copyright on this document is reserved. No part of this document may be utilised without the written permission of Geo Pollution Technologies (Pty) Ltd. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Geo Pollution Technologies (Pty) Ltd, was appointed by the Namibian Port Authority (Namport) to conduct a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the proposed Port of Walvis Bay Southern African Development Community (SADC) Gateway (SADC Gateway Port) in Walvis Bay. Strategic environmental assessments are strategic level, systematic decision support processes, aimed at ensuring that environmental and possibly other sustainability aspects are considered effectively in policy, plan and programme making . The Port of Walvis Bay is considered to be a world class trans-shipment and regional import and export location. It is connected to a network of transit corridors and is a first port of call in Africa for many shipping lines from Far East Asia, South America and Europe. A number of transport corridors links southern Africa to the port and the principal ones are: Trans-Kalahari Corridor, Trans-Cunene Corridor, Trans-Caprivi Corridor and Trans-Oranje Corridor. The SADC Gateway Port is a planned expansion of the existing Port of Walvis Bay. Due to land constraints at the existing port, Namport has no choice but to develop the SADC Gateway Port on a new property situated between the Naval Base and Bird Island, north of the currently developed boundaries of Walvis Bay. The development will take place within the port limits to the immediate north of Walvis Bay on an area known as Farm 39. It will comprise of an estimated 1,350 ha of land being converted into the various port terminals and backup facilities. The facilities envisioned for the development are 1) a Liquid Bulk Terminal; 2) a Multipurpose Dry Bulk Terminal; 3) a Coal Bulk Terminal; 4) a container Terminal; 5) Break Bulk/Multi-Purpose Terminals; 6) a Ro-Ro Terminal Area; 7) a Ship Repair Area; 8) a Rail Marshalling Yard; 9) the water area; and 10) some miscellaneous areas and infrastructure. A conveyor system will have to be constructed from the industrial park (Farm 58) to the SADC Gateway Port to carry bulk products like coal, iron ore and manganese to ships. This will be a closed conveyor system to minimize the impact of wind. The development and expansion of port infrastructure is supported by the Vision 2030 of Namibia as well as the 4th National Development Plan. The major benefits of the port expansion are increased employment opportunities, economic development, infrastructure development, and improved logistics for Namibia and southern Africa as a whole. Impacts associated with the development of the SADC Gateway Port is related to services provision and this is mainly the supply of water, electricity, housing and related services as well as an expected increase in traffic volumes throughout Namibia. However, the service providers NamPower and NamWater as well as the Municipality of Walvis Bay seems confident in their ability to cope with increased demands. The Municipality of Walvis Bay has planned and budgeted significantly in their Integrated Urban Spatial Development Framework for the planned SADC Gateway Port. The location of the proposed SADC Gateway Port is regarded as having a low to medium sensitivity with regards to archaeology. It is very important that Namport is aware of the archaeological sensitivity of the area and that archaeological remains, similar to those that have been found at this location, are protected by law. Once plans for the SADC Gateway Port are finalised a full archaeological impact assessment must be conducted which should include mitigation measures to be implemented. This must include the Archaeological Chance Finds Procedure. To identify other environmental impacts Environmental Impact Assessments must be conducted for each phase of the development of the SADC Gateway Port. Special consideration must also be given to the marine environment and the fauna associated with it. This includes mammals and birds found in the vicinity of the proposed development. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION ................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE SADC GATEWAY PORT ..................................................................................... 4 2 SCOPE .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 3 METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................................... 5 4 ADMINISTRATIVE, LEGAL AND POLICY REQUIREMENTS ........................................................ 5 4.1 THE NAMIBIAN CONSTITUTION ........................................................................................................................ 5 4.2 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT OF NAMIBIA (2007) ............................................................................. 5 4.2.1 Cradle to Grave Responsibility .......................................................................................................... 6 4.2.2 Precautionary Principle ..................................................................................................................... 6 4.2.3 The Polluter Pays Principle ............................................................................................................... 6 4.2.4 Public Participation and Access to Information ................................................................................ 6 4.3 DRAFT REGULATIONS FOR STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (SEA) AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) (2008) ............................................................................................................................... 6 4.4 WATER ACT (NO. 54 OF 1956) ......................................................................................................................... 6 4.5 WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT , 2013 (A CT NO. 11 OF 2013) ............................................................ 7 4.6 TERRITORIAL SEA AND EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OF NAMIBIA ACT 3 OF 1990 .......................................... 7 4.7 AQUACULTURE ACT (2002) ............................................................................................................................. 7 4.8 DUMPING AT SEA CONTROL ACT 73 OF 1980 .................................................................................................. 7 4.9 THE NAMIBIAN PORTS AUTHORITY (A CT 2 OF 1994) ....................................................................................... 8 4.10 PREVENTION AND COMBATING OF POLLUTION OF THE SEA BY OIL ACT (N O. 6 OF 1981) ................................ 8 4.11 PREVENTION AND COMBATING OF POLLUTION OF THE SEA BY OIL AMENDMENT ACT (N O. 24 OF 1991) ........ 9 4.12 MARINE RESOURCES ACT (N O. 27 OF 2000) .................................................................................................... 9 4.13 MARINE NOTICE NO. 2 OF 2012 ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND TRANSPORT ................................. 9 4.14 PUBLIC HEALTH ACT (N O. 36 OF 1919) ......................................................................................................... 10 4.15 LABOUR ACTS ................................................................................................................................................ 10 4.16 LOCAL AUTHORITIES ACT , 1992 (A CT NO. 23 OF 1992) ................................................................................ 10 4.17 REGIONAL COUNCILS ACT , ACT 22 OF 1992 .................................................................................................. 10 4.18 POLLUTION CONTROL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT BILL (2003) (GUIDELINE ONLY ) ...................................... 10 4.19 ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION PREVENTION ORDINANCE OF NAMIBIA (N O. 11 OF 1976) .................................... 11 4.20 HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ORDINANCE (N O. 14 OF 1974) ............................................................................. 11 4.21 NATIONAL HERITAGE ACT OF NAMIBIA (N O. 27 OF 2004) ............................................................................