PHNO PENH: The Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) in Preah Sihanouk province has started to upgrade itself from a feeder port to a hub port in the world.

PAS this morning organized the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new container terminal under the presidency of Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. UENO Atsushi.

Funded by a concessional loan from Japan, the state budget, and the port's investment capital, the new container terminal's construction would cost some US$973 million.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen said the construction project will make the port play a more important role in transporting goods faster and cheaper, aiming to enhance Cambodia's maritime transport competitiveness with neighboring countries and those in the region.

The Premier also expressed his profound thanks to the Government and people of Japan for their continued support for the PAS' upgrading.

According to Senior Minister H.E. Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works and Transport, the construction project will be divided into three phases. Once the construction is completed, the new container terminal will be capable of handling up to 93 percent of all ships traveling in the Asia Pacific, up from the current 18 percent.

In 2022, the volume of goods passing through PAS was 7 million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 0.18 percent, generating a total revenue of about 344 billion Riel (roughly US$84 million), up 0.41 percent.