New squid factory to create over 200 jobs

WALVIS BAY, 15 SEP  – A new squid processing factory in Walvis Bay is expected to create about 204 jobs for Namibians.
Tunacor Fisheries’ Seafresh Factory was inaugurated by Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Bernhardt Esau on Friday and will process squid from the Atlantic Ocean into squid rings and tubes for the local and international markets.
The factory was constructed for N.dollars 25 million and is expected to process 10 metric tonnes of products daily.
Esau congratulated the company on its growth and the fact that it continues to provide employment to the unemployed.
“We have enough fish resources which can act as a magnet for factories and other infrastructure development in Namibia, and attract fish from international waters in order to add and retain value and create jobs locally,” he noted.
The fishing company also inaugurated a new jetty which will ease operations and facilitate the loading and offloading of vessels.
The jetty which cost N.dollars 35 million to construct is 70 metres long and 16 metres wide.
Tunacor Managing Director Peya Hitula noted that the construction of the squid factory and jetty was aimed at adding value to imported fish which come from countries with no value adding capacity, without adding pressure to Namibia’s existing marine resources.
He added 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.
“The new jetty’s size will allow for this to happen, while also allowing for servicing of the shipping vessels.”

NAMPA