The new cargo terminal Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP) has become operational. The facility, built at a total cost of about $28 million, has been financed by the Government of China. It is expected to play a vital role in handling the increasing cargo volumes at the country’s ports. PPAP is still in the process of seeking private partners to assemble high-tech facilities that include cranes and warehouses for the port’s second phase of development. The ultimate objective for the port is to develop a capacity for handling 300,000 foot equivalent units annually. Meanwhile, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is conducting a feasibility study on the prospect of the construction of a new PPAP special economic zone that will span an area of 600–1,000 hectares surrounding the new facility.
