PHNOM PENH: The construction of a new container terminal-phase 1 of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port began in Preah Sihanouk province this morning, under the presidency of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia and visiting H.E. Ishibashi Rintaro, Parliamentary Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan.

Speaking on the occasion, the Cambodian Premier congratulated the groundbreaking ceremony, saying that it takes place when the two countries – Cambodia and Japan – are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties.

Samdech Thipadei expressed profound thanks to the Government of Japan for the assistance in the expansion and modernization of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port which will turn the port into a principal deep-sea port for Cambodia and in the region.

According to H.E. Pen Ponea, Minister of Public Works and Transport, the new container terminal phase 1 is 350 meters long and 14.5 meters deep. Conducted by TOA Corporation with technical control by Nippon Koei and Oriental Consultants Global, the construction project will last 36 months and cost some US$243 million, an ODA loan from the Government of Japan.

Once in operation, he pointed out, the new container terminal-phase 1 will be able to handle 93 percent of regional vessels, up from the current 18 percent, while the costs of sea freight will be reduced by US$200 per TEU, a similar cost to that of other countries in the region.

At the same time, two units of mobile harbor cranes worth some US$13.9 million, a grant aid from Japan, were put into official use.