Dr lain Gray doesn't mince words. "We 're going to do what Dubai did 15 years ago," he says, 'we' in this case being the new Kampong Chhnang Global Air Cargo Hub in Cambodia.
The project, under development in southern Cambodia, aims to break into the air transport arena by offering extremely favourable conditions to freight operators at a location described as the cross-roads of both north-south and east-west air routes in Asia.
Certification of the airport with its existing 2,500m runway is targeted for the last quarter of 2000, with commercial operations slated to start by the end of the year. Dr Gray is executive chairman of TransGlobal, a 70:30 joint venture between majority partner Dragon Gold of Malaysia and the Cambodian government. TransGlobal has a 70 year lease on 12,500ha at Kampong Chhnang airport and ambitious plans for its development.
"TransGlobal has complete control over this land," he says, " and it has been designated a free trade zone. In addition, TransGlobal has put in place a unilateral open-skies policy."
Kampong Chhnang can accommodate freighters with payloads in excess of 100t, he said, and supporting infrastructure will be designed for the fastest turnarounds. The runway will be extended to 4,200m in Year 3 of operations.
Incentives to operators will include duty-free fuel and low user charges.
Located on both the Trans-Asia railway and highway, and close to the port at the Mekong-Tonle Sap River , the airport will be the only one in Asia to incorporate all four modes of transport within its boundaries.
Source: Flight Daily News
