PHNOM PENH: The Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS), Cambodia’s primary deep-sea port covering approximately 125 hectares, has significantly expanded its container handling capacity with the official inauguration of a new 253-meter-long terminal.

The ceremony was presided over by  Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, and H.E. Ueno Atsushi, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia.

H.E. Peng Ponea, Minister of Public Works and Transport, stated that the construction of the additional container terminal began in May 2023 and was completed in 17 months at a total cost of approximately $37.5 million.

The project was funded in part by a $10 million concessional loan from the Government of Japan and $27.5 million from PAS’s budget and the Royal Government of Cambodia.

The new terminal, which has a depth of 11.5 meters and can handle 450,000 TEUs per year, will increase PAS’s total capacity to 1 million TEUs. This expansion will enable the port to accommodate larger vessels and meet growing demand for container shipping services.

Minister Ponea emphasized the importance of this project in enhancing Cambodia’s maritime competitiveness and attracting foreign investment. He noted that PAS has experienced significant growth in recent years, with cargo throughput increasing by 26.52% in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.