China Eximbank provides $26.7 million preferential buyer's credit for 5th Cambodia-China Friendship New Chroy Changvar Bridge Project

On December 13, 2010, China Eximbank and the Government of Cambodia signed a $26,752,000 preferential buyer’s credit (PBC) agreement for the 5th Cambodia-China Friendship New Chroy Changvar Bridge Project. The borrowing terms of the PBC were as follows: 20-year maturity, 7-year grace period, and 2% interest rate. The proceeds of the PBC were used to partially finance an EPC contract with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).The purpose of the project was to construct a 719-meter bridge over the Tonle Sap River, which is located in Phnom Penh's Russei Keo district, connecting the capital Phnom Penh on the west side of the river to National Road No. 6 (NR 6) on the east side of the river. The bridge was designed to run in parallel with the existing Cambodia-Japan Friendship Bridge, or Chroy Changvar Bridge. The road width is 14-m, with 8cm asphalt concrete pavement. The ultimate aim of the project is to address traffic congestion in/out of Phnom Penh; previously there was only one bridge, the Cambodia-Japan Friendship Bridge, to manage the route in/out of the city from three different directions.CRBC was the EPC contractor responsible for project implementation. The project was supervised by Guangzhou Wanan Construction Supervision Company. A formal groundbreaking ceremony was held on November 2, 2011 and the project was completed on April 9, 2014 (see '我优买信贷支持的金边水净华新桥顺利合龙'). On October 22, 2015, a bridge opening ceremony was held ('柬首相洪森出席我优买项目通车仪式').

Additional details

This project is also known as the Design and Construction of 719m Chroy Changvar Bridge Project, the 5th Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge Project, the New Chroy Changvar Bridge Project, and the 2nd Chroy Changvar Bridge across Tonle Sap River Project. The Chinese project title is 柬埔寨金边水净华新桥项目.In the Overseas Development Finance Dataset that it published in December 2020, Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center identifies this project as being supported by a $28 million China Eximbank loan and a loan commitment year of 2011. AidData relies on the face value of the loan ($26,752,000) and the loan commitment year (2010) that are recorded in the Government of Cambodia’s aid and debt information management system, which is maintained on behalf of all ministries and agencies of the Royal Government of Cambodia by the Cambodian Rehabilitation and Development Board (CRDB) of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC).

Number of official sources

7

Number of unofficial sources

4