Cambodia Targets Regional Hub Status with Major Port Upgrades

Cambodia Targets Regional Hub Status with Major Port Upgrades

PHNOM PENH, May 3, 2026 — Cargo throughput at Cambodia’s main seaport rose 38% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier, reflecting strong trade growth and expanding logistics capacity, officials said.

The port’s handling capacity has reached more than 1.34 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year, driven by rising import-export activity and ongoing infrastructure upgrades.

The government aims to transform the port into a key regional logistics hub and is advancing plans to expand capacity through the construction of additional deep-sea container terminals.

The first phase of a new container terminal project, supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is currently 66.7% complete as of April and is expected to be finished by early 2027.

Once completed, the new facility will increase total capacity to approximately 1.45 million TEUs annually and enable more direct shipping routes to international markets, reducing reliance on transshipment and lowering logistics costs.

Officials said the expansion is part of broader efforts to strengthen Cambodia’s trade competitiveness, improve connectivity, and support long-term economic growth.