Thailand and Yokohama strengthen Bangkok Port collaboration
The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) and the City of Yokohama in Japan have formalised a letter of intent to enhance their port operations and infrastructure on the 10th anniversary of their partnership.
Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit highlighted that this agreement will bolster cooperation in port development and infrastructure, with a focus on Bangkok Port. The collaboration aims to improve marketing, technology, and sustainable practices to establish Bangkok Port as an environmentally and community-friendly facility.
Suriya, who also holds the position of transport minister, indicated that Yokohama City will lend expertise in studying the Bangkok Port development project and optimising space usage. This initiative is a key project for the Ministry of Transport.
“Yokohama City will enhance Bangkok Port’s competitive edge by providing academic support in green port development, promoting decarbonisation, implementing digital technologies, and employing strategic marketing.”
Chayatan Phromsorn, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Transport and chairman of the PAT board, noted that this week’s visit to Yokohama also celebrated the decade-long relationship between PAT and the city. The collaboration between the two has steadily progressed since 2014.
Kriengkrai Chaisiriwongsuk, director general of the PAT, mentioned that the Yokohama visit broadened the PAT’s outlook on port development, especially in transforming Bangkok Port into a port city and distribution centre, aligning with the government’s ambition to establish Thailand as a regional logistics hub.
The PAT is also planning to develop communities near the port to maximise benefits and enhance residents’ quality of life. Technology will be employed to improve lorry parking and traffic management, thereby alleviating congestion.
“We’re also planning a passenger cruise ship terminal and facilities to boost tourism at Bangkok Port, situated on a 67.41-rai plot along the Chao Phraya River.”
Kriengkrai added that Japan ranks as Thailand’s third-largest trading partner, with Yokohama being the country’s second-largest and most populous city after Tokyo, reported Bangkok Post.
Yokohama Port, managed by the city and overseen by Yokohama Kawasaki International Port Corporation, handles the second-largest container volume in Japan, following Tokyo. In 2023, it processed 3.02 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 1.68% from the previous year.
Yokohama Port is Japan’s foremost tourist port, welcoming 171 cruise ships and 467,536 passengers in 2023. The port significantly contributes to the local economy, accounting for 30% of Yokohama City’s total income.
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