CMB.TECH Namibia, a diversified maritime group, will soon commission the testing of a green hydrogen-powered locomotive on rail tracks here in Namibia.

The Ministry of Works and Transport has appointed new board members for the Roads Contractor Company (RCC), the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and Transnamib.

Works and Transport Minister Veiko Nekundi says rail parastatal Trans Namib's locomotive tender process will soon be relaunched in line with public procurement laws, which will open the bid to multiple suppliers. 

TransNamib has confirmed the temporary suspension of two senior executives amid an internal investigation.

In a media statement issued, TransNamib said the matter is internal and that an investigation is currently underway.

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economy and Industry, Public Administration and Planning, Iipumbu Shiimi, said green hydrogen will be one of the leading technologies of energy sources in Namibia.

TransNamib has secured a N$2,6 billion loan from the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Development Bank of Namibia, which will be used for its capital projects to unlock corridor capacity and address maintenance issues of its locomotives.

Amidst financial challenges, Namibia's national railway company, TransNamib, has demonstrated resilience, showcasing the enduring importance of railway transport in the country. 

The service reliability of TransNamib has been significantly affected by ageing and unreliable rolling stock.

Bertus Eksteen, TransNamib's Executive for Engineering and Technical Services, revealed this during a meeting with the Standing Committee on Economics and Public Accounts in Keetmanshoop.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has called on Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi to release the report of Ernst & Young into the operations of TransNamib as well as responses by the board and management to the report.

TransNamib's Corporate Communications Manager, Abigail Raubenheimer, has confirmed the derailment of a cargo train carrying manganese to the harbor town of Luderitz on Thursday night.

The derailment occurred between Aus and Luderitz.