Complete Maritime Guide of Cambodia: Navigation, Ports, and Coastal Environment

Cambodia is located in Southeast Asia and has a maritime frontage along the Gulf of Thailand, with approximately 443 kilometers of coastline. This geographic position offers Cambodia strategic access to main international maritime routes, which promotes foreign trade and maritime economic development. Cambodia's main port is Sihanoukville, located on the southwest coast. It is the country’s only deep-water port, capable of accommodating large ships and playing a key role in Cambodian import-export. Besides Sihanoukville, there are several smaller ports and anchorages mainly serving coastal traffic and local fishing. The port infrastructure is under development with projects aimed at increasing Sihanoukville port's capacity and modernizing its facilities, notably to meet the growth of maritime commerce and freight transport. These investments strengthen Cambodia’s position as a maritime hub in the Mekong region and boost international trade exchanges.

The Cambodian maritime zone is strictly regulated to ensure navigation safety, marine environment protection, and respect for international maritime rights. Cambodian authorities apply rules in accordance with international conventions on maritime safety, pollution prevention, and management of marine resources. Navigation relies on well-established maritime routes in the Gulf of Thailand, used by commercial vessels, local fishermen, and pleasure boats. The country is making efforts to control sustainable fishing, combat overfishing, and protect sensitive marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangroves, which play a crucial role in marine biodiversity and coastal erosion protection. Furthermore, initiatives are underway to raise awareness among maritime operators about good environmental practices and to strengthen maritime surveillance to prevent illegal activities such as unauthorized fishing and illicit maritime trafficking. Cambodia is therefore working to balance economic development and ecological conservation in its maritime sector.