By: Hee-Dee Walenga
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah received a tour of the Seawork Fish Processors facility in Walvis Bay over the weekend.
Whilst touring the facility, a representative of the 23-year-old company explained to the President how the company’s operations span the full value chain – from catching, processing, through hand filleting, to exporting Namibian products across the world.
The company produces a large variety of products, sourcing raw materials for reprocessing, such as the 4 million kilograms (kg) of sea frozen headed and gutted (H&G) fish per year into products that are exported to global markets.
The 99% Namibian workforce was visibly excited to welcome the President to the facility.
“Your workers have shown that this is their company. This is a Namibian company and Namibians should be proud of it,” the President remarked.
“Poverty will only be eradicated when we employ our people,” she added.
At a public engagement earlier in the week, Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that the fishing sector contributes 4.1% to the GDP, generates N$14.3 billion in exports, and supports over 21,000 direct jobs across the value chain. The Seawork facilities process 16.4 million kg of fish per year for a total output of 11.5 million kg.
Seawork prioritises skills development, youth and women’s participation, and inclusion. Of the over 2,250 Namibians employed by Seawork, over 40% have been with the company for more than 10 years. Employees of the company share equally in a pool of 10% annual declared dividends.
The company states that it partners exclusively with Namibian contractors and service providers to ensure that value, opportunity, and technical growth remains rooted in Namibia.
Seawork by the Numbers:
- 454 containers exported annually
- 36 containers exported monthly
- 92 containers imported annually
- 130 employees per 1000 quota tons
- N$300 million in salaries per year
- 5 EU compliant wet fish trawlers (4,580 avg number of bins)
