Selected Comments of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, at the official inauguration of the “253 meters additional container terminal” [Unofficial Translation]
[1]
Meeting with the Ambassador (of Japan, I said) that (1) since I took office as Prime Minister, we (have) met seven times. With Japan, we have inaugurated many achievements here, three times in addition to the inauguration of the National Road 5, the water treatment station, and the surgery department (of a hospital) in Siem Reap. This shows the many achievements that the Government of Japan and (the Royal Government) of Cambodia have accomplished together or this is the third time that I have met with government officials, staff, and workers at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port. I have met you all three times and in three different seasons […]
[2]
We have been building additional capacity for deep-water ports in Kampot and Koh Kong. We are continuing (to carry out the jobs). But here, it is one of the leading ports that has been active for many years and has great potential.
[3]
As stated in the report, we have built an additional 253-meter container port and restored the water depth to 11.5 meters […] our capacity is only 550,000 TEU per year, but in fact we have reached 750,000 TEU […] (2) we are taking a step ahead and try to accomplish it with what we have. Therefore, this place was redesigned to be an additional port to meet the demand […] at the current capacity, only 18% of ships can access and 82% have to transfer goods and change ships somewhere else such as in Singapore. This has made shipping more expensive. That we have expanded this container terminal and dug to a depth of 11.5 meters, it enables 49.25% of Asia-Pacific cargo ships to land […]
Choosing to enter a Cambodian port or a neighboring port depends on the cost of transit. (3) Thus, the expansion (of additional container terminal) today, as well as the construction of three more phases, will help the Cambodian Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) to compete with the ports of the world and to become a port of logistics and transports. What does it deliver? It delivers the freight. Who produces the goods? The farmers, industrialists, etc. It means that once the logistics and transports are functioning, they would help economic activities everywhere. Building a strong logistics infrastructure will help the country to be more stable and have more potential in the future […]
If (4) we do not have the infrastructure, there is no strong shelter, and facing the strong wind this morning, we would have a bad time already. Building a strong economic foundation is like that. The global economy and the national economy may fluctuate, but building infrastructure helps us to be more competitive, to have better economic potential, and when the economy is in trouble, (it helps us) control the situation and move forward […]
The deep-water port combined with the connectivity and communication system play an important role. (5) HE the Ambassador (of Japan) mentioned about the participation of Japan and a soon-to-be consideration of the improvement of the Cambodian railway. I thank the Government of Japan for taking the time to focus on strengthening our logistics system for the Cambodian national economy […]
As for the port development plan, the Japanese side also helped in not only the preparation of this place to become a port (but also) organize it as a regional logistics system. I met with the Prime Minister of Japan and asked for the development of a master plan for (this port) to become a regional logistics hub serving not only in (the country) but also in the region […]
I think (this is) a (major) achievement of the 71 years of diplomatic relations, and this year alone, (we) have met many times and inaugurated many achievements. Hopefully there will be more. Japan is an important partner that has helped Cambodia from the stage of searching for peace, the stage of negotiations to form the government, to the building of the country after (the political settlement and general elections in) 1993, and to the present […] on behalf of the Royal Government, I would like to thanks again the people as well as the Government of Japan for their supports and cooperation to the people of Cambodia […]./.
