While China and Thailand struggled economically last year, Cambodia bucked the odds with the volume of airfreight shipments to and from the country increasing 14 percent, year-over-year, in 2015, according to The Phnom Penh Post. Khek Norinda, communications director for Cambodia Airports, which manages the kingdom’s three international airports, was quoted as saying the increase to more than 38,000 tonnes is attributed to the strong demand for Cambodian garments in overseas markets, and new entrants to the local air cargo market.

In the article, Norinda also gave credit to Cathay Pacific Cargo, which has been operating cargo flights to Phnom Penh since November 2014. Imports were led by traffic from China, with volume increasing 34 percent, year-over-year. Export growth to the United States, Japan and China attributed to an increase of 10.1 percent during the first 10 months of 2015.

The global economy, however, has Norinda concerned. “We have forecasted a growth of 3 to 4.5 percent, whose assumption is mainly based on a volatile global economy,” he told the Phnom Penh Post.

Bun Chandara, air operation supervisor for freight forwarder Transpeed Cargo, said the bulk of his airfreight shipments in 2015 were in support of the garment industry. “Most exports are garment products and most imports are accessories for garment production,” he said. Most finished products are bound for the European Union and the U.S.