Freight firms weigh in on increase in exports

via Khmer NZ News Media

Thursday, 01 July 2010 15:00 Chun Sophal

THE swelling export market for goods is directly benefiting wholesale transport services, with freight and trucking services seeing business start to increase again.

Goods shipments at the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port have increased 47 percent in the first half of 2010, compared to the same period last year, according to official figures from the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port obtained Tuesday.

The figures show that in the past six months, 26,790 TEUs, or 20-foot equivalent units of freight, have been shipped through the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to Vietnam’s Cai Mep deepwater port, compared to only 18,266 TEUs for the first six months of last year.

Eang Veng Sun, deputy director general of the Port, told the Post on Wednesday that the increase of shipments was the result of increasing shipping of raw materials for the garment sector, general goods, construction materials, and agricultural and textile products.

“We hope the increase will continue this month and in the coming months because the world economic crisis is well on the way to recovery,” Eang Veng Sun said.

According to the port’s statistics, freight shipments in June 2010 reached 5,794 TEUs, an 18.87 percent increase on May, and a 77 percent increase on the 3,275 TEUs of June last year.

Sok Chheang, executive director of the Cambodia Trucking Association, which has 16 large transportation companies as members, said Wednesday that transportation service was also increasing very well compared to this time last year.

He said the shipment of goods such as garment and agricultural products was only increasing gradually.

“Our association’s members have not reached their full potential in providing transport services yet because the amount of goods exported and imported are still limited,” he said.

The port’s statistics show it plans to ship much as 62,500 TEUs in 2010, a 44.3 percent increase on last year’s total of 43,312 TEUs.

According to the half-year figures just released, the port has reached 42 percent of its intended 2010 target.

Eang Veng Sun said the port was seeing more investors interested in using the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port’s service because its location lies closer to firms’ production bases.