17th APEC TPT-WG
27-31 March 2000
Singapore

Progress Report
For
Port Experts Group
(revision 1)
Japan

BACKGROUND

1. The Group has 6 themes to work in order to improve the capacity and efficiency of the ports in APEC region. 6 themes and Theme Coordinators are as follows;

Theme 1: Port Data Base (Chile),
Theme 2: Regional Port Development Strategy (People’s Republic of China),
Theme 3: Port Administration, Management and Operation (Thailand),
Theme 4: Environmental Consideration (United States of America),
Theme 5: Technical Standards and Technology Development (Chinese Taipei), and
Theme 6: Natural Disasters and Damage Prevention Measures (Japan).

2. At the 7th meeting held in Hong Kong November 1999, Australia presented the new themes to be discussed after the present 6 themes as follows;

(1) Port investment

(2) Port and inter-modal interface

(3) Port uptake of electronic commerce

(4) Port performance benchmarking and measurement

(5) Sub-Committee for Custom Procedures

3. The 8th Group meeting was held at 9:00-14:30 on 27 March 2000 and 14:00-17:30 on 28 March 2000 in Singapore with the participation of port experts from 16 economies as follows; Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People’ s Republic of China, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russian Federation, Republic of Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and United States of America. An observer from PECC also attended the meeting. The Group counts 20 participating economies in total so far.

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSIONS AT SINGAPORE

1. Port Data Base (Theme 1: Theme Coordinator: Chile)

Chile reported the present status of the Database to PEG based on the report numbered TPT-WG/17/SC/CT/4.2/5. Port Database was successfully relocated to Japan at the end of November 1999. As we agreed in the last Hong Kong meeting, Chile will continue to be the Webmaster for the time being, while Japan will maintain the Database for its own finance.

2. Regional Port Development Strategy (Theme 2: Theme Coordinator: People’s Republic of China)
Port Administration, Management, and Operation (Theme 3: Theme Coordinator: Thailand)
Environmental Consideration (Theme 4: Theme Coordinator: United States of America)
Technical Standards and Technology Development (Theme 5: Theme Coordinator: Chinese Taipei)
Natural Disasters and Damage Prevention Measures (Theme 6: Theme Coordinator: Japan)

China presented a final report on Impact of the Growth of the Size of the Container Vessels on Port Development as a first step for Regional Port Development Strategy numbered TPTWG17/SC/PEG/2/2A. Thailand presented a final report on Privatization as a first step for Port Administration, Management and Operation numbered TPT-WG17/SC/CT/4.2/7. USA presented a final report on Dredging Needs Survey of APEC Ports as a first step of Environmental Consideration numbered TPT-WG/17/SC/CT/4.2/8. Chinese Taipei presented a final report on An Introduction to the Terminal Layouts and Design Procedure of Container Terminal as a first step of Technical Standards and Technology Development numbered TPTWG17/SC/PEG/2/5.

Japan presented a discussion paper on Suggestions for Earthquake Disaster Countermeasures in APEC Ports as a first step for Natural Disasters and Damage Prevention Measures numbered TPTWG17/SC/PEG/4.2/6A. Japan again requested PEG to provide anti-seismic technical standards and emergency manuals of each economy if it is available by the end of April 2000, based on which Japan will present a draft final report at the next Miyazaki meeting. Japan will prepare a final report by the 19th TPT-WG meeting including the result of the APEC Seminar to be held in October 2000. (See para 7 of this progress report.)

It was discussed and agreed that Chair would incorporate all the results of 6 themes into one single report by the next Miyazaki meeting based on which members will discuss on next steps to be taken.

3. Electronic Port Manifests

Australia presented the new project proposal numbered TPT-WG/17/SC/CT/4.2/4. A SCCP member from Japan informed that similar work by G7 and SCCP in the field of custom declarations are already in progress and expected to complete by the middle of this year. Japan also informed that considerable number of economies have already established or started to establish electronization of port manifests and the coordination with custom declarations by their own initiatives and that due considerations must be given to this fact.

It was discussed and agreed as follows;

(1) PEG acknowledged the significance of this project and supported it.

(2) The title of this project should be changed from "Towards a Joint Electronic Document for Port Manifests and Custom Declarations" to "Electronic Port Manifests," for example, so as not to go beyond the capacity of TPT-WG.

(3) PEG supported the entry of this project to APEC funding request and the contents and methodology of the project will be reviewed by the June BMC meeting based on the discussion among PEG members.

(4) The outcomes of the project by G7 and SCCP will be used as inputs to this project.

4. Port Performance Monitoring and Benchmarking within APEC Australia presented the new project proposal numbered TPT-WG/17/SC/CT/4.2/3. Co-Chair of Intermodal Taskforce informed the situation of the OECD intermodal benchmarking project for reference. The OECD project has suffered from severe difficulties to obtain required reliable data and information.

It was discussed and agreed as follows;

(1) The project will be withdrawn because of expected non-availability of required reliable data and information.

(2) More appropriate ways will be explored based on the information on benchmarking exercises in Australia and the progress of the OECD project.

5. Port and inter-modal interface

Thailand presented the new project proposal numbered TPTWG17/SC/PEG/3/5. All the economies are requested to send their comments to Chair by the end of April 2000 based on which Thailand will prepare a revised proposal for the next Miyazaki meeting.

6. Port investment

It was agreed to discuss this new theme in the next Miyazaki meeting.

7. APEC Seminar on Disaster Protection Measures for Earthquakes in Port

Japan explained the 2nd announcement of the seminar numbered TPTWG17/SC/PEG/3/1-2. The seminar will be held on 12-13 October 2000 at Portopia Hotel, Kobe, Japan, just before the 18th APEC TPT-WG meeting held on 16-20 October 2000 in Miyazaki, Japan. All the economies are encouraged to attend the seminar as well as to make a presentation in the seminar.

8. Others

Korea gave information on Regional Tripartite Forum among Shipowners, Shippers and Ports held on 17-18 April 2000 in Seoul, Korea. Australia gave information on International Symposium on Safer Shipping in the APEC Region held on 5-7 March 2001 in Sydney, Australia.

This page was last updated on 12 March, 2008