Enhancing Cambodia’s transportation and logistics sector, a multiple-purpose port with an investment of $1.3 billion from the private sector will start construction in Kampot province this week.
The construction of the port is scheduled to take place on May 5, according to Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works and Transport.
Last week Chanthol said that the development of infrastructure, roads, railways and ports is in response to the growth of freight following the country’s economic growth.
“Talking about port development, there is a port in Koh Kong, one in Dara Sakor. On May 5, Kampot port will start construction. It will help complement the port of Sihanoukville,” he said.
In January, the Council for the Development of Cambodia approved a massive investment project to develop a logistics and multi-purpose port in Kampot.
Located in Bokor city, Kampot province, the investment was registered under the name of Kampot Logistics and Port Company Limited.
The investment helps enhance the logistics sector, particularly the value-added production chain, with market competitiveness to be promoted.
Mak Sideth, Director-General of the ministry’s General Department of Waterway-Maritime Transport and Ports, said that the private investment port in Kampot will contribute to transport activities in Cambodia.
“The port by the private sector contributes to the country’s economic growth due to the increase in demand for transport,” Sideth said.
Senior officials of the ministry have been invited to attend the port’s breaking ground ceremony, Sideth said.
Sin Chanthy, president of the Cambodia Logistics Association, said yesterday that more port and logistic investments would help
the logistics sector in Cambodia as well as boost the export and import of goods, especially helping Cambodia reduce shipping costs and enable it to compete with
neighbouring countries.
He added that constructing a logistics centre in Kampot is a good move in the right direction, as Cambodia needs such centres in some provinces.
“If we have a logistics centre in Kampot, it would help drive this sector to be more efficient and profitable. Today this kind of investment in the border areas, especially in the special economic zones, is necessary. We need more such logistics centres,” Chanthy said.
According to the Statistics of Goods Transit at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, the number of containers passing through the port was 18,182 Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 16 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
The port has served as a transit and transport point for goods to countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore.
This article was first published in Khmer Times. All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources.
