PAS recieves 200 container lifeline

GARMENT factories in the Kingdom have been handed a lifeline as nearly 200 containers arrived at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) on Monday to ease the shortage of raw materials in the sector.

PAS director-general Lou Kim Chhun told The Post on Tuesday that four container ships entered the port loaded with raw materials for factories in Cambodia.

He said about 15 ships carrying raw materials will arrive each week. “The plan is to increase the number of shipments of raw materials from China to ease the shortage here.”

Speaking during a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, Prime Minister Hun Sen said about 60 per cent of raw materials used in local factories comes from China.

“The outbreak of Covid-19 has severely affected the supply of raw materials here, but China has agreed to send seven containers full of fabric,” he said, adding that customs officials should facilitate shipments from the port to the factories.

On Monday, Wu Guoquan, the commercial adviser to the Chinese embassy, said the Ministry of Commerce of China and the embassy were coordinating efforts to facilitate shipments to Cambodia.

“With the support of the Chinese government and the Royal Government of Cambodia, suppliers in China will begin shipments of raw materials to Cambodia very soon. This will minimise losses for the industry during these hard times,” he said.

Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training spokesman Heng Sour said on Tuesday that 50 factories have suspended operations due to shortages of raw materials. Seven are now back in action after the arrival of the containers.

“These shipments may be small, but they help local factories resume production,” Sour said.