A key study on a proposed waterway link from the Bassac River to the sea in the Kampot-Kep region has been completed, the transport ministry reported, revealing plans for the project to connect to a “seaport” in Kampot province, igniting hopes for a solid pop in economic growth for the Kingdom.

News of the project was shared by a Ministry of Public Works and Transport statement released in conjunction with a January 30 meeting between minister Sun Chanthol and Rajeev Kannan, co-head of the Asia Pacific division at Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp (SMBC).

Although not explicitly named, the “seaport” is most likely the International Multi-Purpose Logistics and Port Centre, which broke ground in May on a 600ha plot of seafront land with water depth of 15m, in Prek Tnaot commune, Bokor town, Kampot. The project is expected to cost $1.5 billion – mainly invested by Kampot Logistics and Port Co Ltd – and accommodate ships weighing up to 100,000 tonnes.

The linked Bassac River Navigation and Logistics System (“BRNLS”) project aims to provide a viable and efficient alternative for waterway passenger and freight traffic to enter and exit the Kingdom – without passing through Vietnam – that also reduces transportation and logistics costs.

The Bassac River is a distributary of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers that starts in Phnom Penh and flows south to Kandal province’s Chrey Thom village in Koh Thom district, crossing the border into Vietnam. The Kingdom largely relies on the Ka’am Samnor gate on the Mekong for international water transport.

At the January 31 meeting, the minister told Kannan and his entourage that “detailed” studies of the BRNLS found that the excavations would not result in significant adverse effects, the statement noted.

The canal from the Bassac River to the Kampot seaport will ensure smoother, timelier, less costly inland water freight transportation, Chanthol said, assuring that the technical and legal aspects of the project have been studied “in detail”.

He also noted that the government is seeking development partners for the project, which he emphasised could be “historic” and dramatically change the face of the entire Cambodian navigation landscape.

The statement did not disclose any additional details concerning the project or the study.https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/bassac-sea-link-reach-kampot-seaport-ministry