Plans to build a second international airport at Cambodia’s capital are slowly coming to fruition after authorities shortlisted three Chinese firms to participate in the final bidding for the $1.5 billion mega-project. Speaking with AIN on Thursday, Cambodian State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) senior deputy director Sinn Chanserey Vutha said that while five companies had expressed interest, three will move forward in the application process, adding that planners had completed more than 60 percent of the design concept.
A joint venture between local real estate conglomerate Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation (OCIC) and the SSCA, Phnom Penh International Airport will cover an area of 2,600 hectares south of the capital in Kandal province, making it one of the world’s largest airports by land area. OCIC holds a 90 percent ownership stake and will invest $280 million; the remaining $1.1 billion will come from foreign bank loans. According to the SSCA, the new airport will accommodate 27 million passengers by 2030 and 30 million by 2050.
