A truck transports a container away from the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port. Post staff
The latest report from the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP) has indicated a significant increase in the amount of international market cargo it has handled so far this year. Specifically, in the first 11 months of 2024, the port received over 4,600 cargo vessels, an increase of nearly 30% compared to the same period in 2023. During this time, container throughput exceeded 430,000 TEUs, or twenty-foot-equivalent units of cargo.
A business-service performance report by PPAP, submitted to the Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX) on December 11, said that from January to November, the total number of cargo vessels handled by the port was 4,644, an increase of 27.64% compared to the same period in 2023.
Meanwhile, the total number of containers processed reached 436,839 TEUs, up by 20.69%.
Similarly, the volume of cargo and gas-fuel handled was 4,366,589 tonnes, an increase of 16.01%. Additionally, PPAP also welcomed 633 passenger vessels, an increase of 25.35%, and 32,850 passengers, a rise of 47.17%.
For November alone, the number of cargo vessels handled was 247, up by 38.76% compared to November 2023. The number of containers processed reached 35,588 TEUs, up by 32.01%, while the cargo and gas-fuel volume stood at 400,970 tonnes, up by 29.27%. Meanwhile, the port handled 93 passenger vessels, an increase of 19.23%, and 4,864 passengers, a growth of 9.9%.
Sam Soknoeun, chairman of the Board of SAM SN Group, recently led a delegation of five local and international companies to meet with Sun Chanthol, first vice-chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), on December 10 at the CDC headquarters.
He told The Post on December 12 that Cambodia is entering a “golden era” of development across all sectors. He stated that shipping through PPAP would become even busier once the Funan Techo Canal project is completed.
He explained that waterway transportation offers significant cost advantages compared to other modes of transport, such as road and air. Lower shipping costs will enhance the competitiveness of Cambodian goods in international markets.
“In the future, waterway transportation in Cambodia will become increasingly busy, especially in areas near the Funan Techo Canal project. The canal will become a vital shipping route linking the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port with seaports in Preah Sihanouk and Kampot provinces, among others,” he noted.
According to Soknoeun, the five companies that met with the CDC leadership were from the US, Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as Cambodian company SAM SN GROUP. The firms are collaborating to study the feasibility of establishing a special economic zone near the Funan Techo Canal area and several other investment projects.
Chea Chandara, president of the Logistics and Supply Chain Business Association in Cambodia (LOSCBA), agreed that transportation methods that are convenient and cost-effective are indeed very popular.
He believed the number of cargo and passenger vessels passing through the PPAP will significantly increase once the canal project becomes operational. Waterway transportation is extremely important for transporting heavy goods to distant destinations and is more cost-effective than other modes of transportation, he explained.
“As the waterway network connections increase, the traffic of cargo vessels passing through PPAP also increases,” he added.
Data from the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE) indicates that from January to November 2024, Cambodia's merchandise trade with international markets totalled $4,987 million, an increase of 17.4% compared to the same period in 2023, which was $4,425 million. Of this, Cambodian exports amounted to $2,393 million, up by 16.8%, and imports reached $2,594 million, increasing by 17.9%.
