The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) has reported a surge in passenger numbers at Luderitz Airport, rising from 400 per month to 1420 as of March 2023.
The increase is attributed to heightened oil and gas activities offshore the town, along with planned green hydrogen projects.
In August, FlyNamibia launched weekday flights connecting Eros Airport in Windhoek to Lüderitz through a partnership with TotalEnergies EP Namibia.
NAC Marketing Officer Dan Kamati said the airport is now handling 20 scheduled flights per month, primarily driven by Fly Namibia’s collaboration with Total Energies and is optimistic about a further increase in volumes.
“The advent of oil, gas exploration, and green hydrogen has given Namibia renewed hope and aspiration, and we are indeed expecting increased numbers at this airport, which bodes well for airport revenue and the local economy,” Kamati told The Brief.
When quizzed about the expected increase in numbers and the capacity of the airport to handle heightened traffic, he said, “so far, we have demonstrated that capacity and will optimally utilize our resources to ensure we meet the demand as it increases.”
Regarding the NAC’s plans for airport expansion, he said, “we are currently determining which airport development projects are feasible to accommodate the future, but we are truly excited and ready to serve for our country’s prosperity.”
The Mines and Energy ministry has urged oil companies to base their operations in Luderitz rather than Walvis Bay.
Oil supermajors Shell and TotalEnergies have discovered oil in the Orange Basin offshore Luderitz.
The Namibian Government has also signed a feasibility and implementation agreement (FIA) with green hydrogen development company Hyphen Hydrogen Energy for the country’s N$10 billion green hydrogen project, set to be located in the Namib Desert’s Tsau//Khaeb National Park.
