Sihanoukville: According to a plan shared by the Director General of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, Lou Kimchhun, Cambodia will expand the sea port at Preah Sihanouk province as a way to reduce costs on sea transport to $200 per container, attracting more foreign investments, as well as proceeding with the plan of turning Prea Sihanouk into a multi-purpose special economic zone.

The expansion is schedule to start next year, and will be divided in three stages:

The first-phase of expansion will extend the sea port to 350 metres long and 14.5 metres deep, beginning its construction in 2022, scheduled to be completed by 2025. It aims to dock 93 percent of all cargo ship types in Southeast Asia.

The second and third phase of expansion will target cargo ships from United States and Europe, respectively, planned to be ready by 2030.

Lou Kimchhun has also stated first and second phase of the expansion will cost over $400 million, of which more than US$200 million is a loan from Japan.

The current sea port at Sihanoukville can attract about 18 to 19 percent of the container ships in the Asia-Pacific region.