PM to inaugurate Kampot International Tourist Port this morning
This morning, April 21, 2025, Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, will preside over the official inauguration of the Kampot International Tourist Port.
Kampot International Tourist Port, located in Chum Kriel Village, Chum Kriel Commune, Teuk Chhou District, Kampot Province, was built on a 4.25-hectare land area as a gift from Oknha Vinh Hour to the Royal Government of Cambodia.
The port’s infrastructure includes a 2.40-kilometer concrete access road to the port, an electricity system, a clean water system for the use of the people and the port, a wastewater treatment system, fences, guard posts, parking lots, gardens, ponds, garbage collection buildings, public restroom buildings, technical buildings, administrative and passenger buildings, a dock, a fire control system, and other necessary technical equipment for port operations.
According to the plan for the construction of this tourist port, the cruise ship route must have a water depth of 3 meters, counting from the ship’s turning point to the sea surface, with a length of 6.75 kilometers and a width of 62 meters, divided into two lanes.
This port has favorable natural conditions that allow ships carrying up to 300 passengers or tourists to enter and exit this port internationally.
Seeing the enormous potential of the maritime tourism sector that has emerged from this project and the luxurious infrastructure of the Kampot International Tourist Port that has already been built, along with the long-term vision of the Royal Government, this shipping lane will be further developed to a water depth of more than 3 meters, a width of 160 meters to 340 meters, and a length of up to 15 kilometers, from the ship’s turning point to the sea surface.
The Kampot International Tourist Port construction project broke ground on August 8, 2018, and was completed on June 30, 2022. The construction was carried out by S.B.P.H. Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. and supervised by S.B.K. Research & Development Company.
The project was financed with a loan from the Asian Development Bank of approximately US$10 million, along with some government matching funds for various taxes, staff support, and office equipment and facilities.
Meanwhile, to ensure the efficiency of the port’s operations, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, as a representative of the Royal Government of Cambodia, signed an Operation and Maintenance Agreement (O&M Agreement) of the Kampot International Tourist Port with EZ Builders Co., Ltd. on June 28, 2024.
Through this agreement, the company is obligated to use, manage, operate, repair, maintain, and improve the infrastructure, equipment, and facilities, and has the right to collect revenue for a period of 20 years, as well as receive tax incentives from the Royal Government for the first 6 years of operation.
At the same time, the technical team of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the company have worked together on preparing a number of necessary works, including verifying the general appearance of the port facilities and supporting infrastructure, technical work and equipping the necessary equipment for operation, preparing a legal document to officially open the port with neighboring countries and internationally, and preparing to establish a management committee for the operation and maintenance of the Kampot International Tourist Port and a project management mechanism.
After receiving the rights and obligations to operate and maintain the Kampot International Tourist Port in accordance with the agreement, EZ Builders LLC also dredged the navigation channel at the port’s front and turning areas and other points that were obstacles to ship travel. Currently, passenger ships with a capacity of up to 300 people can enter and exit the port safely.
Kampot International Tourist Port has been allowed to open for trial operations for three months, starting from December 12, 2024, in preparation for full operations, and is scheduled to hold an official inauguration ceremony today.
The official opening of the port today marks a new chapter in the history of Cambodia’s maritime tourism connections with neighboring countries, the region, and internationally.
In addition, the port will contribute to improving maritime transport connections to other tourist destinations such as Kep Province, Preah Sihanouk Province, Koh Kong Province, and islands in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
All these connections will contribute significantly to promoting socio-economic activities by providing job opportunities and increasing additional income for local people and local businesses such as restaurants, hotels, souvenir shops, and tour companies, as well as encouraging the creation of new entertainment locations in Kampot province in particular and other provinces in general to attract more tourists.
During the trial operation, EZ Builders LLC collaborated with local partner Virak Buntham to transport tourists to various tourist destinations including Koh Rong Sanloem, Koh Rong, and Koh Sdach, resulting in a total of over 5,000 tourists arriving and departing by the end of March 2025. In addition, and with the support of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the company is also exploring business collaborations with several foreign partners to increase the use of the port’s services, promote tourism flows or maritime tourism activities, and expand Cambodia’s tourism sector in the future.
