PHNOM PENH, 16 September 2020: Completion of a tourism port and terminal under construction in Cambodia’s coastal Kampot province will be delayed until late 2021 according to government news agency reports.
Construction has lagged behind schedule with just 30% of the project completed according to the schedule. The project costing around USD8 million is funded by an Asian Development Bank low-interest loan.
The construction fails to meet the deadline as planned this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Ministry of Tourism Under-Secretary of State and Spokesperson, Top Sopheak, who blamed the delay on the Covid-19 pandemic that disrupted the deployment of construction crews to the site.
“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the construction deadline has now been rescheduled to late 2021,” he told AKP news earlier this week. “If there is no change the port will be operational by early 2022”.
The masterplan for the port states it will become a gateway for tourists for marine ferry crossings to Cambodia’s tourist island in the Gulf of Thailand and even transfers to neighbouring Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam.
Located in Tek Chhou district, the port and terminal is 300 metres long and will accommodate vessels carrying 300 to 400 passengers. International cruises ships will still dock at Sihanoukville port. Construction cost is around US$8 million mostly funded by a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
At least 2.5 million national and foreign tourists are expected to visit Kampot province by 2023, according to the province’s tourism development plan 2019 to 2023.
(Source: AKP news)
