Logistics Service in Cambodia

Overview

Cambodia is rebuilding economic, social, and physical foundations after years of conflict.
Since 1992, the World Bank has provided:
- US$645.2 million in loans and grants
- US$90 million in trust funds
Contributions include:
- Building and rehabilitating rural roads (a government priority)
- Establishing guidelines for transport sector reform through the Road Rehabilitation Project
- Clarifying management roles for national, provincial, and rural roads (2002 transport strategy)
Challenge: despite progress, transport infrastructure quality remains a serious constraint.
Road maintenance fund (2002) based on fuel tax revenue exists, but lacks effective management.

Total network: 38,257 km
- 4,757 km national roads (Ministry of Public Works and Transport)
- 5,700 km provincial roads
- 27,800 km tertiary roads (Ministry of Rural Development)
Rehabilitation efforts since mid‑1990s.
Road transport industry:
- Embryonic and inefficient
- Fleet fragmented; few groups professionally managed
- Reliance on old, overloaded trucks with low utilization
- In isolated regions: motorcycles and animal‑drawn vehicles dominate
Vehicle registration (2003):
- 84,000 four‑wheel vehicles
- 248,000 motorcycles
- With unregistered vehicles: ~102,810 light vehicles, 17,880 heavy vehicles, 326,310 motorcycles
Vehicle ownership: 0.8 four‑wheel vehicles per 100 people (very low).

Severely damaged/neglected during years of conflict.
Entirely road‑based; traffic volumes rising rapidly in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Public transport limited to buses; no subway system.
Issues:
- No formal road/transport policy
- Congestion emerging in Phnom Penh
- Insufficient finance for maintenance and paving unpaved roads
Needs:
- Strategic transport policy framework
- Facilities for non‑motorized traffic
- Consideration of rail’s role
- Private sector involvement (e.g., tolls).

Rural Transport

Traffic levels suppressed by poor road conditions, low incomes, and small vehicle fleet.
Rapid growth since late 1980s as constraints eased.

Royal Cambodian Railway: two single‑track meter‑gauge lines.
Northern Line: Phnom Penh → Poipet (385 km).
- 15 km gap between Poipet and Thai station Aranyaprathet (since 1961).
- Last 48 km (Sisophon → Thai border) disused since early 1970s.
- Originally intended to link Bangkok with Saigon; Cambodia’s section never built.
Southern Line: Phnom Penh → Sihanoukville (253 km).
- Built 1960–1969; currently poor condition.
“Bamboo trains”: locally made units for limited passenger/freight transport.

Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers are key transport arteries.
Phnom Penh: ~100 km from Vietnam border by river.
- River bends limit vessels >110 m long.
Capacity by section:
- Phnom Penh–Kratie: boats up to 150 tons
- Kratie–Stoeng Treng: 50 tons (rainy season); 20 tons (low water)
- Stoeng Treng–Lao border: 10–15 tons (low water); 50 tons (high water)
Recent reports: decreasing Mekong flows further constrain transport.

10 airports, including Phnom Penh International (Pochentong) and Siem Reap (gateway to Angkor Wat).
Managed by Société Concessionnaire de l’Aéroport (SCA) under 25‑year concession (from 1995).
Operations partly delegated to Cambodia Airport Management Services Limited.
Major improvement program (2003–2007), partly funded by IFC:
- Phnom Penh Airport (US$23.2 million):
  - Runway lengthening/widening
  - Parallel taxiway construction
  - Apron and warehouse expansion
  - Modernization of operating equipment
- Siem Reap Airport (US$23.9 million):
  - Runway/taxiway repairs
  - Extension of taxiway and aprons
  - New terminal building
  - Modernization of operational equipment
  - New cargo warehouse

We are available from Monday to Saturday.

Call us +855 77 755 001 | 011 755 001 | 069 755 001 info@cfservicecooperate.com.kh