Sihanoukville (SHV) Port, the only deep-water port in Cambodia and a key economic driver for the country,is managed and operated by the SHV Autonomous Port (PAS),which was established as a state-owned enterprise in July 1998 under a government decree. In June 2017,PAS was listed on the Cambodia Securities Exchange and became a joint-stock company.

This has led to the need for improvements in management efficiency and transparency, as well as the need to secure the trust of shareholders and investors through measures such as improving operational efficiency and strengthening international competitiveness. The Cambodian government holds 75% of the shares in PAS, while the leading Japanese stevedoring company, Kamigumi, holds 13% of the shares, and Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation holds 2.5%. Accordingly, the contribution of Japanese companies is in the spotlight.
On the other hand, SHV port has been rapidly expanding in recent years against the backdrop of Cambodia’s steady economic growth, with the volume of containers exceeding 1 million TEUs in 2024. This is a figure that far exceeds the port’s original capacity, and the overflowing containers are exacerbating congestion in the port.

For this reason, construction work is underway to build a new offshore container terminal. The first berth is being funded by Japanese ODA loan and there are plans to construct a second and third berth in the future. However, until the development of these terminals is completed, the capacity of the existing container terminal will be strained, so the biggest and most pressing issue is to expand the capacity of the existing container terminal and further improve operational efficiency. At the same time, a key challenge is to establish an effective organizational structure within PAS to efficiently operate the new container terminal.

Japan has a long history of cooperation with SHV Port, having provided continuous technical cooperation since the mid-1990s. From 2013 to 2016, we focused on improving the management and operational technology of the container terminal. However, as cargo volumes grew significantly, new challenges emerged. To address these issues, Phase 2 was implemented from 2018 to 2021, followed by the launch of Phase 3 in April 2022 (a five-year project that will continue until 2027).

In the first half of Phase 3 (May 2022 to June 2024), efforts were centered on improving the productivity and capacity of the existing container terminal. In particular, by enhancing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), we conducted detailed on-site observations, developed various countermeasures, held extensive discussions, and implemented these measures in collaboration with PAS staff. As a result, the terminal’s capacity was doubled from the initially planned 500,000 TEUs to one (1) million TEUs. Significant progress was also made in KPIs, For example, the number of containers handled per ship per hour is now exceeding the target of 40 units. Consequently, evaluations from shipping companies have improved dramatically. Furthermore, there has been progress in raising awareness of the promotional efforts needed to attract trunk routes as well as accelerated efforts to realize a green port centered on decarbonization. On the other hand, congestion at the gates and within the port has worsened due to the rapid increase in container handling. This situation calls for collaborative efforts among port users such as customs, trucking companies, and customs brokers, to ensure a smooth traffic flow both inside and outside the port.

In the latter half of the project (September 2024 to June 2027), we will continue working with PAS to explore how to effectively manage and operate the new offshore terminal, which is expected to begin operations in 2027, integrating the functions of the existing terminal and the SPSEZ. These efforts shall strengthen the competitiveness of SHV Port and greatly contribute to Cambodia’s economic growth.