Cambodian government delegate and Sihanoukville Autonomous Port Chairman and Director-General Lou Kim Chhun said the master-plan project was an initiative of former Prime Minister Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet, who had sought Japanese government support to develop the port into a regional core port. The project would serve not only Cambodia but also regional and global port services, in line with the government's national development vision and strategy to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, enhance competitiveness in services and logistics transport prices, and integrate Cambodia into regional and global supply chains.
He made the remarks at the ministry headquarters on the morning of February 2, 2026 while co-chairing the opening of a dissemination workshop on the master-plan project to transform Sihanoukville port into a regional port and logistics hub with Nagase Kensuke, deputy head of mission at the Japanese embassy in Cambodia. Participants included leaders and relevant technical officials from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, representatives of relevant ministries and institutions and the port, senior representatives of JICA in Cambodia, development partners and numerous private companies.
The workshop aimed to publicise the start of the master-plan development project and gather important information and input from relevant ministries, institutions and private companies. This was to ensure a clear, comprehensive and technically accurate plan consistent with Cambodia's current and future socio-economic development.
Nagase Kensuke reaffirmed the commitment of the Japanese government and JICA to supporting the master-plan project by providing highly capable, experienced Japanese experts.
Lou Kim Chhun also expressed deep thanks to the Japanese government and people and JICA for their continuing support and close cooperation with Cambodia in developing transport, logistics and ports. The Cambodian government and the Public Works and Transport Ministry's leaders and technical officials highly valued this cooperation and were ready to provide all necessary assistance to ensure that the study and master-plan preparation were comprehensive, clear and accurate and achieved the intended results. By: Pai Sokhim
