FREIGHT transported through Phnom Penh Autonomous Port was up 45 percent for first 11 months of this year, compared to the same period of last year.

Statistics from the port show 57,089 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) were transported through the facility between January and November this year, up 44.73 percent from 39,443 TEUs for the same period last year.

Hy Pavy, director general of Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, told The Post yesterday the increase was due to a rise in both exports and imports of garments, agricultural products, construction materials and textiles.

He said the port was on track to surpass its goal of transporting 62,500 TEUs in 2010, predicting it would reach around 63,000 TEUs by the end of December.

Another boost to the growth in freight was the recent cooperation with Vietnam’s Cai Mep port, he said. The port’s statistics showed a rise in the number of containers to and from Vietnam’s Cai Mep port – to about 5,078 TEUs for November this year, up from 3,795 TEUs in the same month of  last year.

“Now transportation through Phnom Penh port is not low like before because we have more cooperative partners,” said Hy Pavy.

Phnom Penh Autonomous Port signed a new joint cooperation agreement with Cai Mep’s operator, Vietnamese Saigon Newport Corporation, on November 6 to create additional links to Vietnamese ports, including a twice weekly shipping service.