Transportation Working Group
Maritime Initiative
October 1999

Report to the Ministers on the work of the Maritime Initiative

Japan

Report to Ministers on the work of Maritime Initiative

Recalling a direction to the Transportation Working Group by the Ministers responsible for transportation on June 24, 1997 in Victoria, Canada, for developing a maritime initiative aimed at promoting an efficient, safe and competitive operating environment for maritime transport with, as a first step, the elaboration of a Mission Statement which is to be finalized by the 13^th meeting of the Transportation Working Group;

Considering the agreement made at the 15^th APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting in Santiago on the fact that a report should be made to Ministers on the work of Maritime Initiative, including the Mission Statement, TEQ, and the proposed Facilitation of International Shipping project, and that the Ministers be requested to provide their comments and suggestions to be used as reference for future work;

The Minister of Transport of Japan reports to the Ministers responsible for transportation of APEC economies as following.

1 After inauguration of the Maritime Initiative (MI), MI held meetings in each time of the APEC Transportation Working Group (TPT-WG).

2 MI firstly devoted itself in elaborating a Maritime Mission Statement to set out principles for promoting an efficient, safe and competitive operating environment for maritime transport to be achieved by economies working together and with the private sector, with the objective of fostering the concept of intermodalism and encouraging member economies to adopt a forward looking origin-to-destination approach including modal interface and onward transport. It was finalized and adopted at the 13^th TPT-WG in Mexico City in April 1998 as attached in ANNEX.

3 MI next proceeds a Transparency Exercise by developing a Transparency Exercise Questionnaire (TEQ) which is aimed at transparency on member economies’ international shipping industry and policy, fostering the concept of the Maritime Mission Statement. TEQ was finalized at the 14^th TPT-WG in Seoul and distributed by Japan, a leading economy of the project, to each economy. Responses to TEQ came from sixteen economies until the end of July 1999 and were combined into a single document ‘Assorted Response to TEQ’, which is available on the APEC Transportation Working Group web site (www.apectptwg.org.au). In order to deepen transparency in international shipping industry and policy as well as promote exchange of views between economies, MI will successively undertake a voluntary self-analysis work and discussions on the basis of the responses to TEQ in the forthcoming MI meetings.

4 At the 15^th TPT-WG, MI discussed the Facilitation of International Shipping project which aimed at developing ‘Policy Alternatives towards International Shipping Liberalization’ to promote the development of efficient international shipping services in the Asia Pacific and was to be a proposal for APEC TILF Special Account. The ‘Policy Alternatives towards International Shipping Liberalization’ will be drawn by a consultant from an analysis of maritime policies that have successfully promoted access to safe and efficient international shipping services. As this project will evaluate policies that promote efficient shipping services, it responds directly to the Transportation Ministers direction to TPT-WG in 1997. The project will be implemented in 2000 and deliverables of the project will be served as a basis of discussions of future MI meetings .

5 MI makes efforts to have private sector’s participation in meetings. MI invited representatives of shipowners association to present host economy’s shipping industry and policy at the 14^th and 15^th TPT-WG, and will continue this activity considering satisfactory results of the presentations.

6 MI will explore the possibility of inviting the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to provide a presentation on the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996 (HNS Convention) at a future meeting.

The Minister of Transport of Japan asks Ministers if they kindly provide comments and suggestions on the future work of MI.

ANNEX

Maritime Mission Statement

APEC member economies recognize the mutually complementary and supportive relationship between liberalization, facilitation and economic and technical cooperation and note the importance of promoting a more efficient and competitive transportation operating environment on the basis of fair, reciprocal and equitable access to markets and opportunity in international maritime transport between member economies.

In accordance with the Joint Ministerial Statement of Ministers responsible for transportation, and the Transportation Working Group's Vision Statement, this Mission Statement sets out principles for promoting an efficient, safe and competitive operating environment for maritime transport to be achieved by economies working together and with the private sector, with the objective of fostering the concept of intermodalism and encouraging member economies to adopt a forward looking origin-to-destination approach including modal interface and onward transport.

In accordance with the Bogor Declaration, the principles of the Osaka Action Agenda, specifically member economies agree on the need to encourage and foster the following:

Liberalization

A continuing process of liberalization of maritime transport to ensure, through fair, reciprocal and equitable market access and investment opportunities, the creation of a competitive transportation operating environment for all maritime transport providers.

Efficiency

Promotion of efficient maritime transport for the movement of goods and passengers.

Facilitation

Facilitation of the provision of maritime transport through the elimination or reduction of unreasonable regulatory, institutional and other impediments; and promoting the use of uniform documentation and procedures and the implementation of compatible EC/EDI systems as a means of improving the efficiency of maritime transport and intermodal transport.

Harmonization

The adoption of a compatible approach to the implementation of international conventions, standards, technical regulations and safety measures to provide a sound basis for international trade in maritime transport, including the adoption of compatible standards and other criteria relating to the design, construction and operation of maritime and intermodal transport equipment and infrastructure.

Transparency

Greater transparency of maritime regulatory arrangements, administrative procedures and government support and other measures which impede market access, investment, and the provision of maritime transport and intermodal transport.

Participation

Promotion of private/business sector participation in the development and provision of maritime transport infrastructure and encouragement of the private/business sector to initiate economic and technical cooperation activities.

Economic and Technical Cooperation

Identification and implementation of "best practices" with respect to the design and operation of maritime transport facilities, including navigation, ship operating systems, communications, cargo terminal operation, and other relevant software systems applications.

Environment Protection and Safety

The implementation of internationally agreed rules and standards to achieve environmentally friendly development, safe shipping practices and protection of the marine environment and encouragement of measures to facilitate the continued development of safe and economically viable shipping practices.

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