Walvis Bay, a bustling port city on the Atlantic coast of Namibia, is home to one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most remarkable industrial landmarks—an enormous sea salt production plant. Situated approximately 5 miles southwest of the city center, this sprawling facility covers 12,350 acres, making it nearly half the size of Disney World in Florida. The plant, operational for over six decades, takes advantage of the region’s ideal arid climate and coastal winds to produce more than 1.1 million tons of salt annually.
The salt production at Walvis Bay relies on Atlantic seawater, pumped at a staggering rate of 8,500 cubic feet per minute into a series of artificial evaporation ponds. The Benguela Current, a cold ocean current flowing northward along the coast, feeds the plant, creating optimal conditions for salt extraction. The process enhances the salt concentration from a starting point of about 2.9% to 3.5%, allowing plankton, algae, and small marine organisms to thrive before reaching the crystallization stage. Here, each pond forms a 4- to 6-inch-thick salt crust, which mechanical harvesters efficiently remove and transport to massive bins.
The Walvis Bay saltworks are not only an industrial powerhouse but also play a critical ecological role. They provide a coastal wetland habitat for birds such as flamingos and pelicans. The nutrient-rich environment also serves as a feeding ground for shrimp and larval fish, attracting a diverse array of birdlife to the area. The proximity of the plant to the Walvis Bay Lagoon and a nearby bird sanctuary enhances its biodiversity significance.
In addition to its ecological contributions, the plant is a major player in the export market. It exports table salt for human consumption across several African nations, including South Africa, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Furthermore, it supplies chemical-grade salt for industrial uses such as animal feed production, water treatment, and pharmaceuticals to countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, and various European markets.
Visitors interested in understanding this intricate process can embark on guided tours offered by Desert, Dunes and Dust Tours. These tours provide an in-depth look at how the sun's warmth and coastal breezes work in tandem to drive the evaporation process essential for salt production.
