Sihanoukville port cargo traffic rises on swelling economy

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Sihanoukville port cargo traffic rises on swelling economy

PHNOM PENH: Container traffic at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (SAP), which operates the country’s only deep-sea port, increased by almost 10 per cent during the first quarter of the year compared to a year earlier, The Phnom Penh Post reported.

SAP director-general Lou Kim Chhun said the significant growth is related to Cambodia’s strong economy, which is driving an increase in import and export activity.

He said the port received approximately 95,000 20-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) containers during the first quarter of 2016, up from about 86,000 during the same period a year earlier. Total volume topped 1.1 million tonnes, from 940,000 tonnes during the first quarter in 2015.

Total imports during the first quarter of the year were up 12.8 per cent, while exports rose 7.8 per cent, according to Chhun.

He also attributed the double-digit growth to the port’s ability to handle bigger cargo ships, which has increased throughput while raising the port’s visibility on the international radar.

He predicted that the growth would continue into the next quarter, which would boost the port operator’s appeal to investors as it prepares to list on the Cambodian stock exchange.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/160743

-- Thai PBS 2016-04-23