While Standard Bank counted 10 million transactions on their AutoBank network for the year 2005; they were able to record over one million transactions on their ATM network during December 2005 alone. "We are very happy about these volumes and also glad to report that our ATM’s were up and running 97.2% of the time, "said Derek Kimber, head of retail. "At the same time we are proud to say, that our clients were very safe at all our ATM’s as a result of an awareness campaign launched by the Bankers Association just before the festive season".

Standard Bank currently has 109 AutoBanks all over Namibia ranging from Outapi in the far north to Aussenkehr in the south. By the end of 2006, the bank aims to add 9 more ATM’s. Of these, at least two will be so-called drop-downs, ATMs that can be conveniently set up or translocated to wherever there be a phone line and electricity.

The Windhoek-based Walvis-Bay Corridor group (WCBG), which promotes regional trade routes, announced the introduction of an express transport service to start in mid 2006. Containers arriving at Walvis Bay will be loaded on trains going to the eastern town of Gobabis, where the railway ends and trucks will ferry them through Botswana to Gauteng. The same principle will apply for export cargo from South Africa destined for Europe and the US.

"There will be up to 3 daily trains between the coast and Gobabis carrying containers only", said Frank Gschwender of the WBCG. In this way container volumes on that route could increase from 30,000 to 125,000 per annum.

This new development will be named Trans-Kalahari Express (TKE) and will be developed in four phases. Costs are estimated around N$210 million, involving additional locomotives, wagons, and surveillance logistics. A dry port or container terminal will be established at Gobabis, similar to the one set up in 2003 outside Windhoek on the Okahandja road.