174 priority projects with an investment of over $36 billion! What are Cambodia's transportation and logistics plans for the next 10 years?

Recently, the Royal Government has promoted the dissemination of the "Comprehensive Master Plan on Cambodia’s Transit and Logistics System 2023-2033".

The master plan identifies 174 priority projects, divided into short-term, medium-term, and long-term.

Speaking at a meeting and discussion on the logistics system in Cambodia, Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia and Chairman of the National Logistics Council of Cambodia, estimated that the total financing needs are estimated at $36,679 million, of which short- and medium-term demand from 2023 to 2027 is about $19,926 million, equivalent to $3,985 million on average annually.

Regardless of the number of projects or the size of the investment, we can see the development ambitions of the Royal Government of Cambodia. Therefore, what measures does the Royal Government have for this transportation and logistics system that link to the future? Let's find out together!

1. Vision

The Comprehensive Master Plan on the Cambodian Transit and Logistics System 2023–2033 sets out the vision: “Continue to improve and develop transportation and logistics systems, focusing on promoting the construction of physical and non-physical infrastructure towards the development of highly interconnected transport systems and cellular interfaces, both within the country and with the region, which will continue to promote and support national economic growth as well as meet the needs of a sustainable and environmentally friendly economy.”

The vision of the master plan leads to the achievement of four major objectives, including:

1) Expanding and improving the scope and capacity of the transport infrastructure system

(2) Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of transport services and infrastructure

(3) Promoting and improving transport infrastructure to support national development policies

(4) strengthening service efficiency and logistics costs.

It should be informed that of the above 174 priority projects, there are 94 road projects, 8 railway projects, 23 river transportation projects, 20 sea transportation projects, 10 air transportation projects, 15 logistics projects, and 4 other additional projects.

2. Framework for a campaign to build transport infrastructure

Road Network

(1) Expressway

The 17 expressway projects to be built after 2050 have a total length of 3,938 kilometers. By 2033, the first phase of the expressway network with a total length of about 800 km will be built in the form of "1 ring road and 3 radial roads" (the third ring road and the three expressways include Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh-Bavet, and Phnom Penh-Poipet).

*Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway

(2) National and Provincial Roads

By 2050, the national and provincial road network will have a total length of about 25,412 kilometers, while by 2033, national and provincial roads will have a total length of 21,000 kilometers.

(3) City Ring Road and Downtown Road Detour 

Phnom Penh Ring Road: Three ring roads are planned in Phnom Penh. The first ring road with a total length of 18 kilometers, the main road in Phnom Penh, has been completed and operated. The second ring road has a total length of about 50 kilometers, with a section on the west bank of the Mekong River being built and opened to traffic. The first phase of the third ring road, with a total length of 52.98 kilometers, has been built and officially inaugurated.

City Ring Road and other detour roads: downtown detour roads are planned in the area of Ph'av, Skun, Kampong Thma, Kampong Thom, Stoung, Siem Reap, Battambang, Pursat, Kampong Chhnang, Oudongk, and other towns, as well as the outer ring road. It is planned to be built in Sihanoukville with a total length of about 65 kilometers, and five other ring roads, including Ph'av, Skun, Kampong Thma, Kampong Thom, and Stoung, have already been built and opened to traffic.

*Third Ring Road

Railway network

The railway network in Cambodia will be developed in two phases. The first phase by 2027 is to upgrade the existing Phnom Penh-Poipet northern railway network to a capable railway, similar to the Southern Railway, which has a passenger speed of 80 km/h and a freight speed of 40 km/h.

In the second phase, by 2033, a network of “three redial road” lines will be built, including: (1) the northern high-speed railway connecting to the Cambodia-Thailand border; (2) the northeastern high-speed railway connecting to the Cambodia-Laos border; and (3) the high-speed railway connecting to the Cambodia-Vietnam border.

River Transportation Network

The planned waterway system has a total length of 930 kilometers, including 500 kilometers of the Mekong River, 260 kilometers of Tonle Sap Lake and Tonle Sap River, 96 kilometers of the Tonle Bassac River, and 74 kilometers of Stung Sangke.

To ensure the effective connection of domestic waterways, including rivers, canals and stream to the sea, and to minimize the cost of transportation and ensure the independence of Cambodia's transport sector, which can compete with neighboring countries to build and develop navigation projects which is the "Funan Techo Canal" waterway project with a length of 180 kilometers connecting the Takeo canal of the Mekong River to Kep province, it is necessary that this waterway project be 100 meters wide and 4.7 meters deep, which will pass through four provinces, such as Kandal, Takeo, Kampot, and Kep is a historical project and a project that has all the strategic conditions and economic benefits of Cambodia.

Maritime Transportation Networks 

Cambodia's coastal ports are divided into three groups: the western port group, the central port group, and the eastern port group. Among them, the Central Port Group, with the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port as its core, has the greatest potential as it is the main gateway connecting Cambodia to the world and the gateway of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Autonomous Port corridor. Most of the western and eastern port groups serve the industries near the port and promote local economic development.

Western Port Group: The group, which has the core of Koh Kong Port, will play a role in promoting the development of the coastal and surrounding areas. The master plan plans to rebuild two 20,000-ton multi-purpose ports at the Koh Kong port.

Central Port Group: This group consists of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port at its core. Development plans also include Koh Kong Port Management Co. Ltd., Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, Stung Hav Port, Koh Kong Intelligent Port, and other ports such as Tomnup Rolork Port, LHR Petroleum Port, and PTT Petroleum Port.

Eastern Port Group: This port group is covered by Kampot International Port, Kampot International Tourism Port, Kep Tourism Port, CHING KOR Import Export, and Kampot International Port.

Air Transportation Network

The Civil Aviation Development Project plans to build four airports, including Dara Sakor International Airport, Koh Kong Airport, Poipet Airport, and Mondulkiri Airport, by 2033.

The form and network of air transport will be further improved, including Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap International Airport, and Sihanoukville International Airport, with increased capacity to support the expansion of transportation services and service levels to enhance competitiveness.

*New Siem Reap Angkor International Airport

Existing Siem Reap International Airport and Phnom Penh International Airport will be closed after the opening of New Siem Reap Angkor  International Airport and Techo Takhmao International Airport.

*Techo Takhmao International Airport

Therefore, the development plan includes Techo Takhmao International Airport, which will become a 4F-level airport; Siem Reap Angkor International Airport; Sihanoukville International Airport; and Dara Sakor International Airport, which will be Level 4E airports; and New Koh Kong Airport, New Poipet Airport, and New Mondulkiri Airport, which will be Level 4C airports.

Transportation Center Development Project

In order to increase the efficiency of the transportation system, the master plan also confirmed the development of transportation centers in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh Transportation Project includes:

(1) Improving the modern transportation system and organizing a rich international transport hub with regional competitiveness;

(2) Promote the construction of abundant transport units, strengthen the connection of all types of transportation, improve the collection and distribution system, and play a better role in supporting and leading transportation in the Phnom Penh Economic Zone;

(3) Strengthen the construction of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, the new Phnom Penh International Airport, the expressway, the ring road, the railway, and the logistics center.

Sihanoukville Province

Sihanoukville Transportation Project includes:

(1) Improving the modern transportation system by building a regional international seaport center that is competitive in the region, promoting the integration of rich transport complex construction, strengthening the interconnection of transport links, improving the collection and distribution system, and fostering economic development with core ports

(2) Construction of the Sihanoukville transport hub and major airports, strengthening the construction of expressways and ring roads along the coast and southwestern transport corridors, and the construction of the Sihanoukville logistics center (Complex).

In short, the modern logistics sector is a diversified service industry that includes transportation, warehousing, and information. It is also an important part of the national economy and plays an important role in urban economic development.

Infrastructure such as railways, waterways, national highways, aviation are prerequisites for the development of modern logistics, and the development of the logistics sector will promote the construction and enhance the functionality of these infrastructures.

Cambodia's ambitious ten-year plan not only paves the way for the development of the modern logistics industry but also integrates robustness into the nation's economic development.