No sea, no sweat: Dry ports turn landlocked Laos into land corridor, eye trade to Middle East, Europe

No sea, no sweat: Dry ports turn landlocked Laos into land corridor, eye trade to Middle East, Europe


The dry ports are beefing up partnerships with regional peers in the likes of Singapore’s PSA International and Malaysia’s Penang Port

[VIENTIANE/SINGAPORE] South-east Asia sits at a nexus of key shipping lanes, in a world where more than 80 per cent of global trade is carried by sea. At the heart of it lies Laos: one of its smallest economies, and its only landlocked country.

Cut off from any direct access to maritime routes, the nation is banking on its dry ports, which are hoping to elevate the predominantly mountainous state bordered by five countries into an alternative, quicker gateway for trade with the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe.

In an interview with The Business Times, Thanaleng Dry Port’s managing director, Sakhone Philangam, said it aims to establish regular services from Laos to Europe by the end of the year.



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