In the First Six Months of 2009 the Transport of Cargo through the Ports Declined by 20 to 30 Percent – Saturday, 20.6.2009

Posted on 28 June 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 618
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“According to a report of Friday, 26 June 2009, the Cambodian Freight Forwarders Association announced that during the first six months of 2009, the transport of goods through the major ports in Cambodia declined by 20 to 30 percent, and this was said to be the result of the global economic crisis.

“The secretary-general of the Cambodian Freight Forwarders Association, Mr. Sin Chanthy, told Deum Ampil on Friday at the Sunway Hotel, ‘After the events of the global economic crisis, the transport of goods at different ports in Cambodia has been affected, after buying orders from abroad had diminished recently.

“Mr. Sin Chanthy added, ‘According to a survey conducted recently, at the Kompong Som port, the export of goods has declined by 40% and at other companies, the transport by sea has dropped by about 20%.’

“Even though the commercial atmosphere in Cambodia is not yet dangerous, the director of the Sihanoukville port, Mr. Lou Kim Chhon, said during a workshop on Friday about the transport of goods from Cambodia, ‘In 2009, due to the global economic crisis, the transport of goods has declined by up to 18%, compared to 2008. Most transport of goods by sea is related to export and import to and from China and America.’

“According to Mr. Lou Kim Chhon, the payments for transport amounted to US$28 million in 2008, but in 2009, this amount does not increase, as the transport of goods declines gradually.

“A secretary of state of the Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia, Ms. Tekreth Kamrong, said on Friday, during a workshop, organized by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Cambodian Freight Forwarders Association, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, that the government is still able to maintain a two digit national economic growth, which attracts some countries to invest more in Cambodia, such as in agriculture, in the garment industry, in transport services, and in other investment projects.

“Ms. Tekreth Kamrong added, ‘The Ministry of Commerce has international relations with various countries to attract investment to maintain the investment environment in Cambodia, in order to speed up the economy and to expand commerce to be comparable to other countries in the region.

“The deputy director of the Phnom Penh autonomous port, Mr. Ieng Veng Sun, told Deum Ampil on Friday, ‘Recently, the volume of transported goods has been rising during the last two weeks.’

“He added that at present, there is not much transport of textiles for export through the Phnom Penh port, but mostly textiles go through the Kompong Som port.

“Mr. Ieng Veng Sun went on to say that goods exported through the Phnom Penh port to the United States of America and to other countries are generally agricultural goods, but now they include also textiles.

“According to Mr. Ieng Veng Sun, in the first quarter of 2009, the transport by ship at the Phnom Penh port increased only by 10%, compared to 2008. Anyway, according to officials of the Ministry of Commerce, the cooperation between Japan and the ASEAN countries proceeded and commerce and investment has begun to be encouraging again. There will be an exchange of technical knowhow for the benefit of Cambodia for many sectors.

“Moreover, the speed-up of the economy is comparable to other countries, the Ministry of Commerce will encourage to draft many laws which can help to support the existing commerce and investment sectors, in order to attract more new investment into Cambodia.”

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #221, 27.6.2009
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Saturday, 27 June 2009