Kampot to Splash Usd10m on New Seaport

• 10 November 2017
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Following approval of the funding by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Cambodia will build a new seaport in Kampot province designed to improve infrastructure to attract international tourists. Construction is set to start on the project later in 2017 and is located about six kilometres southeast of Kampot town, in Teck Chhou district’s Chhum Kreal commune.

The ADB has recently provided financing of USD18 million for the various project developments in Cambodia. The new Kampot seaport facility alone is estimated to cost approximately USD10 million according to Soy Sinol, Director of Tourism Department of Kampot province who spoke with Construction & Property Magazine in early October. According to Mr. Soy, the remaining ADB funds will be used to improve other projects in Kep and Koh Kong provinces.

The new international pier will cover four hectares of land mass with construction expected to be complete in late 2019. “The master plan of the seaport has been successfully mapped out, so the work construction will begin at the end of this year,” said Mr Soy. He wasn’t, however, able to confirm which company would be undertaking the work, only noting that the Cambodian government would enter into a joint venture with a private firm.
Unlike the existing international seaport, the six or five metre-deep Kampot seaport has been specifically designed and dedicated to attracting international tourism. Mr Soy explained to Construction & Property Magazine that the seaport facility will not only to ease incoming traffic to Kampot, but also to Kep, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong provinces.

The Tourism Department firmly believes that this infrastructure investment will bring tangible benefits to the local economy and generate various job opportunities. In addition, once the project is complete; there will be more passengers entering via the pier. Mr Soy pointed out that, “The capacity of the facility expects to handle more than one thousand holidaymakers per day, and about 1.5 million passengers per year.”

The Khmer Times reported the country director of ADB Cambodia Eric Sidgwick, as saying that, “The development of this passenger pier will support an increase in tourism in southern coastal areas and help establish a new gateway between southern Cambodia, Vietnam and other destinations in the Gulf of Thailand.” This new southern Cambodian international seaport not only aims to boost the tourism sector, but also offers great potential in terms of the property market. The property here in Kampot is expected to increase soon after the facility comes fully online. Ping Serey, CEO of Cambodia Angkor Real Estate told Construction & Property Magazine that Kampot province has great potential for tourism and trade due to its location, although the coastal province hasn’t got any high class hotel developments so far. “I expect that there will be a five star hotel to serve the crowds of tourists and to meet their demands,” he said. “As far as I know,” he continued, “some of foreign developers from China, Japan, and France are all looking for various business opportunities in the province.”