Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Cooperation targets coastal logistics and market access
Africa Global Logistics Namibia and Kelp Blue have formalised a strategic cooperation framework aimed at building an integrated logistics and distribution chain for Namibia’s emerging kelp industry.
The agreement, announced in Walvis Bay, will see the companies explore logistics, port handling, supply chain optimisation, product distribution, decarbonisation research, sustainability projects and possible commercial participation.
The cooperation is focused on moving kelp biomass and derived bio products from coastal production areas to buyers in Namibia and international markets. For logistics operators, the deal points to a growing cargo segment linked to the blue economy, where ocean based production needs reliable handling, storage, inland transport and export routes.
Lüderitz production meets Walvis Bay logistics
Kelp Blue is developing large scale regenerative ocean farming off the Namibian coast, with operations centred on Lüderitz. The company cultivates giant kelp, known as Macrocystis pyrifera, for use in agriculture, aquaculture and industrial applications.
Its flagship product, StimBlue+, is a seaweed based biostimulant used to support soil health and improve crop resilience against abiotic stress.
AGL brings a logistics network that includes port, maritime, rail and supply chain services across Africa. In Namibia, that network gives Kelp Blue a potential route from ocean farming sites to domestic and export markets.
The model is simple in concept but demanding in execution. Kelp may grow in the ocean, but commercial value is only created when harvested biomass can be processed, packed, moved and delivered consistently. Like any project cargo or industrial supply chain, the weak point is often not production, but the connection between the production site and the market.
Companies cite decarbonisation and export potential
Ben Stenning, Managing Director of AGL Energies Namibia, said sustainability was central to AGL’s work across Africa.
“At AGL, sustainability is not a footnote, it is central to how we operate across Africa,” Stenning said. “We see in Kelp Blue a partner whose bold vision for ocean based, nature positive solutions speaks directly to the kind of forward thinking collaboration we actively seek.”
He said Namibia had an opportunity to lead in blue economy innovation and that AGL would explore how its logistics capabilities could help bring Kelp Blue’s products to national and international markets at scale.
Michael Mwinga, Africa Lead for Agronomy Advisory and Sales at Kelp Blue, said the cooperation marked a milestone in building an ocean to market value chain from the Namibian coast.
“AGL’s reach, infrastructure, and shared commitment to decarbonisation make them an ideal partner as we scale our operations in Lüderitz,” Mwinga said.
Framework covers ports, products and ESG projects
The framework identifies several areas for possible collaboration. These include transport, port handling, supply chain design, distribution channels, export strategy, infrastructure support and operational efficiency.
The companies also plan to explore research and development projects linked to sustainability and decarbonisation, including pilot initiatives that combine Kelp Blue’s ocean science expertise with AGL’s logistics and sustainability capabilities.
The agreement also leaves room for carbon related initiatives, green commerce and possible investment participation, subject to feasibility reviews and approvals.
No financial terms were disclosed. The companies said specific projects would require further assessment and formal binding agreements.
Namibia seeks value from blue economy growth
The cooperation is rooted in Namibia’s coastal economy, with a particular focus on Lüderitz and the wider Namibian coast. The companies said the framework could support local employment, skills development and inclusive business models.
For Namibia, the operational question is clear. Can ocean farming become a repeatable industrial supply chain rather than a niche sustainability story?
If Kelp Blue scales production and AGL can support the movement of biomass and finished products, the partnership could create new flows of bio based cargo through Namibia’s coastal logistics system. That would place seaweed products alongside the country’s broader push to develop energy, industrial and export corridors linked to ports such as Walvis Bay and Lüderitz.
