EuroCham's Logistics Delegation and CDC Conduct Joint Site Visit to Sihanoukville Autonomous Port to Advance Logistics Cooperation
The European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (EuroCham Cambodia), in collaboration with the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), conducted a joint site visit and technical coordination meeting at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) on July 7, 2026, focused on improving port efficiency and strengthening multimodal transport connectivity.
The visit brought together senior representatives of the Cambodian government, PAS management, the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville Expressway and 12 EuroCham member companies part of the Transport and Logistics committee.
The meeting started with a welcome by Thong Viro, Deputy Director General in charge of Administration Management, followed by opening remarks from H.E. Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice-Chairman of the CDC, and Tassilo Brinzer, Chairperson of EuroCham Cambodia. The programme included a review of ongoing recommendations for the port and a joint site visit coordinated by PAS management.
An Ongoing and Structured Dialogue
The visit builds on a sustained track record of engagement between EuroCham and the Cambodian government on port and logistics reform. Recommendations concerning PAS have been formally set out in EuroCham's White Book and were further advanced during the "Conference on Delivering Logistics-Led Growth", co-hosted by EuroCham Cambodia and the CDC on April 1, 2026, which brought together participants from government and industry to discuss Cambodia's logistics sector and trade infrastructure. The matter has also featured prominently in the Cambodia–Europe Public- Private Sector Dialogue (PPSD), a recognised platform for structured engagement between European investors and the Cambodian government, most recently at its 4th edition in June 2026. Together, these channels reflect a continuous and constructive dialogue between the public and private sectors on how to enhance the performance of Cambodia's principal deep-sea gateway.
“Our ongoing dialogue with the Port Authorities, the Customs Department, the CDC and other concerned authorities is essential to raise the level of export and import logistics to the best international standards,” said Brinzer. “Cambodia's fast growing port infrastructure is absolutely impressive, and constantly pushed further by the growth in trade. We hope to keep this excellent momentum and help to ensure we are not only competitive but leading in lowering the cost of logistics for transportation firms, manufacturers, and overseas clients.”
24/7 Customs Operations: Dialogue Delivering Results
Among the recommendations raised through this dialogue, the Cambodian government's decision to move to round-the-clock customs operations at PAS stands out as a clear and tangible result. GDCE now operates on a 24-hour basis at the port, allowing trucks to depart from and arrive in Phnom Penh at any hour, with particular benefits expected during the peak days of Thursday through Sunday. EuroCham welcomed the measure as a direct response to industry recommendations and confirmed it will encourage member companies to shift more cargo movements to off-peak, night- time hours to help validate and reinforce the change. Both sides view the reform as a concrete illustration of how sustained, technical-level cooperation between the private sector and government institutions can translate into measurable improvements for Cambodia's supply chain.
“The Port of Sihanoukville is a pivotal hub where Cambodian sellers connect to overseas buyers. The discussion today involved all relevant stakeholders and gave insights on what actions the port has undertaken to optimise digital connectivity and efficient entry processes for trucks,” said Rutger Heijsteeg, Vice-Chairperson of EuroCham's Transport & Logistics Committee and Managing Director for Maersk Cambodia. “Moreover, we continue to seek ways to increase Highway and Rail usage. Lastly, relevant authorities including customs confirmed to a 24/7 operating schedule, which will make the port accessible at nighttime, similar to its regional peers.”
Advancing Digital Integration
PAS also presented progress on PASNet, its mobile application launched in 2023 to support customers, cargo owners, vendors and truck drivers with information and streamlined operations at the port. This work aligns closely with EuroCham's recommendation on further IT system integration for fleet operators, which calls for enabling companies to book gate slots within selected time windows so that arrivals can be spread more evenly across the day and away from the port's busiest periods. EuroCham committed to will continue to explore ways to encourage its uptake among transport operators.
Continued Focus on Competitiveness
The delegations also exchanged views on a range of operational and administrative matters affecting the cost and efficiency of cargo transport, including opportunities to streamline processes across the logistics chain. These discussions form part of a broader, ongoing effort by EuroCham and the Cambodian government to identify practical measures that reduce trade costs and strengthen the overall competitiveness of the Cambodian export led economy, in line with the country's ambition to position itself as a regional logistics hub.
''Today’s constructive dialogue between the Cambodian public sector and the private sector, represented by EuroCham, helped break down the different elements of Cambodia’s logistics costs and benchmark them against the region," said Kaushall Rohilla, Vice-Chairperson of the Transport and Logistics Committee of EuroCham and General Manager of CMA-CGM Cambodia. “This is an important step toward identifying practical measures to improve efficiency, reduce total logistics costs and ensure Cambodia continues to attract investment, expand trade volumes and grow sustainably.”
This press release was supplied.