The Ministry of Public Works said that the loan for two container terminal projects phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port has been secured with details being finalised.
The loans for the two container terminal projects are from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which will give $203 million in loans for the port’s container terminal project Phase 1.
The loans will be given for the two projects together, Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works said in a meeting at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port yesterday.
“Agreement between JICA, the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance has been made on a loan package, meaning that the loans for the two projects will be provided at one time together,” he said.
“When discussing the phase 2 and phase 3 projects separately, it is not difficult to negotiate on the cost,” he added. However, the estimated cost was not disclosed.
According to Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, the container terminal port project is scheduled to commence in late 2025, while the project’s phases 2 and 3 will commence in the years 2028 and 2029, respectively.
The first phase of the container terminal is 350 metres long and 14.5 metres in depth while the second phase is 350 metres long and 16.5 metres in depth. Both the projects are scheduled to be completed in 2028 while phase 3 is 400 metres long and 17.5 metres in depth and is scheduled to complete in 2029.
The new container terminals are being built to cater to the growing throughputs of containers and goods at the port, said Lou Kim Chhun, director of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port.
Currently, he said the port is handling containers and goods beyond its capacity as it now handles 750,000 TEUs of containers, while the port’s capacity is 700,000 TEUs of containers.
Once three container terminal projects are operational, the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port can handle the deadweight tonne containers.
This article was first published in Khmer Times. All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources.
