APEC Transportation Working Group 16^th Meeting
Hong Kong, China

Report of the meeting of the Steering Committee
on Safe and Environment-Friendly Transportation Systems
(Including New Technologies)

Wednesday, November 10, 1999

United States

1. Background Information

Participating Economies

1. The Transportation Working Group (TPT-WG) Steering Committee on Safe and Environment-Friendly Transportation Systems (SCSE) held its fourth meeting on November 10, 1999, during the 16^th meeting of the TPT-WG in Hong Kong, China. The Steering Committee was chaired by the United States, the coordinator of the Steering Committee, and 15 Economies participated in the deliberations including Australia; Brunei; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; New Zealand; Philippines; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand and the United States.

2. The Chair referenced the brainstorming session held on Monday, November 8, 1999, and recommended that each project/experts group chair review their specific projects to emphasize concrete deliverables rather than additional activities involving only surveying or information sharing.

3. The Chair noted, in reviewing the priority areas set out in the 1995 APEC Transport Ministers’ Joint Statement and the Osaka Action Agenda, that the area of promoting transport system security in the region did not seem to be under development within any of the steering committees or experts groups. There was much discussion of this issue by the steering committee members. A number of Economies reported that maritime security issues such as piracy and port security needed to be examined. Others noted that security agencies within their governments are sometimes outside of the Transportation ministries and should be included in any dialogue. Some Economies also noted that aviation security issues effect capacity and efficiency regarding the movement/facilitation of passengers and goods in the region. The need for a seminar(s) in this area was also discussed.

4. As a result of the discussion, the United States offered to take the lead in developing a proposal for the next meeting of the TPT-WG regarding the establishment of a transportation security experts group within the SCSE and a recommendation on the need for a transportation security seminar. The United States will coordinate intercessionally with those Economies that expressed an interest in assisting with the development of such an experts group. The United States agreed to share the proposal, via the TPT-WG web site, before TPT-WG 17.

Projects Completed Since Last TPT-WG Meeting

5. None.

2. Ongoing Projects

Intelligent Transportation Systems (Canada)

6. Canada (ITS Canada) has taken over the lead of the ITS Committee. A meeting of this committee was held in Toronto, Canada on November 7, 1999 in conjunction with the ITS World Congress. A report on this meeting was made available to the plenary (TPTWG/PLEN/6/3). The committee reviewed two reports, one from Australia (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.1/1) and the other from Chinese Taipei (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.1/2), on the status of ITS projects in their respective Economies and noted their progress in this area.

Recommendations to Plenary

7. No recommendations in this area.

Maritime Safety (Canada)

8. Twelve APEC Economies participated in a meeting of the Experts Group on Maritime Safety (EGMS). Canada reported progress on the variety of initiatives ongoing in the EGMS. Canada noted that a successful intercessional meeting of the group was held at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee meeting in London and that intercessional exchange of information had been effectively conducted by means of the EGMS email list server. Canada also noted that the EGMS had reviewed items being discussed by other steering committees including the Seafarers Training Project, the STCW training project and the project "Towards Mutual Recognition of Transport Professional Qualifications" for their appropriate input.

Recommendations to Plenary

9. The steering committee endorsed the report of the EGMS (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.2/1 (Final)) and the recommendations contained therein including:

1. note that the names of contact persons for oil spills preparedness and response arrangments are to be verified and links established, on the web site, to similar plans in the region;
2. note that the group wishes to be associated with forthcoming marine safety seminars to be held in Singapore and Australia;
3. note that an RFP for tenders on the project "To Identify Optimum Maritime Administrative Structures and the Legal Framework for Safer Shipping in the Asia Pacific Region" will shortly be distributed;
4. note that the finalized report on "Safer Shipping in the Asia Pacific Region" will be distributed at TPT-WG 17;
5. note that a project proposal on hydrography will be submitted to TPT-WG 17;
6. advise the SCHRD that other ongoing seafarers training work in the region should be coordinated and there is no need for the marine mode to be included in the project "Towards Mutual Recognition of Transport Professional Qualifications"; and
7. approve that the Canadian Minister of Transport write to the other Ministers advising of the progress of the EGMS and provide direction for future work.

Road Transport Safety (Chinese Taipei)

10. No meeting on Road Transport Safety was held at TPT-WG 16. Chinese Taipei reported on intercessional work including that the questionnaire regarding the twelve major road transportation safety problems was revised according to the input provided by Economies at TPT-WG 15 and intercessionally. The final, revised questionnaire was sent to all Economies on August 1, 1999. To date, replies have been received by nine APEC Economies, a significant increase in response over the previous circulation of the questionnaire. Chinese Taipei noted that World Bank and Asian Development Bank officials had been invited to give a presentation at the TPT-WG 16 but they were unable to accept the invitation at this time.

 

Recommendations to Plenary

11. The Steering Committee noted the progress report provided Chinese Taipei on Road Transport Safety (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.3/1.) The Steering Committee asks that all APEC Economies respond to Chinese Taipei on the questionnaire regarding the twelve major road safety problems. The Steering Committee also asks that Chinese Taipei continue to pursue invitations to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to give presentations at TPT-WG 17.

Urban Transport Forum (Korea)

12. Korea gave a presentation on the status of the development of a best practices manual to address urban transport problems in the APEC region. Korea noted that after many attempts to contact the appropriate persons within the APEC Economies, only two Economies had responded to the questionnaire first circulated in 1998 and that no Economies had provided comments on the draft final report prepared given this data. A number of Economies noted that the data collection effort was complex as coordination was necessary among many different Ministries. Korea noted that they still hope to receive input from all Economies and made a final call for responses before the report is finalized at the end of this year. The Chair encouraged all Economies to provide the data to Korea before the end of this year if possible.

Recommendations to Plenary

13. The Steering Committee noted the progress report and candid presentation provided by Korea (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.4/1) on the status of the questionnaire and report on best practices in urban transport. The Steering Committee asks that each Economy provide data to Korea as soon as possible, but before the end of this year, so that Korea can finalize its report for presentation at TPT-WG 17.

Satellite Navigation and Communications Systems (SN&C) Advisory Committee (United States)

14. The United States reported that the SN&C Advisory Committee met on Tuesday, November 9, 1999 with ten APEC Economies participating. The advisory committee conducted a review exercise of its mission statement, terms of reference and initial task list. Presentations were given on the outcomes of the recent Asia Pacific Telecommunity meeting, activities of the International Civil Aviation Organization Asia Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group, information on the enhancements that GPS-related technologies could bring to the safety and regulation of air carrier operations, and a methodology for consideration by the members on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) regional augmentation plans.

15. The United States provided a report on the "Forum on Intermodalism and Satellite-based Transportation Technologies," hosted by the advisory committee, the APEC Intermodal Task Force and the Singapore Aviation Academy in May 1999 in Singapore. The United States also noted that the ministerial statement on the protection of the GNSS spectrum for all modes of transportation was endorsed intercessionally by the APEC Minsters of Transportation and that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation has before him a letter for his signature on behalf of the APEC Ministers of Transportation to send to the Director General of the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva. As soon as this letter is signed, the United States will forward a copy to all Economies for their information.

Recommendations to Plenary

16. The Steering Committee endorsed the report of the SN&C advisory committee (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.5/1 (Final)). The Steering Committee would like to thank all Economies for their work in progressing the GNSS spectrum protection issue and acknowledges the successful endorsement by Ministers of the GNSS sprectrum protection ministerial statement. The Steering Committee noted that all Economies must remain vigilant in providing information to their colleagues, particularly within the telecommunication community, on the importance of maintaining GNSS spectrum as outlined in the statement for transportation safety of life applications.

17. The Steering Committee recommends that the advisory committee work intercessionally to invite Economies to form a core group of experts to provide recommendations to the full advisory committee at TPT-WG 17 regarding the issue of promotion of regional implementation of GNSS augmentation systems. The Steering Committee encouraged all Economies to participate in the Asian Aerospace 2000 event to be held in Singapore in February 2000.

Aviation Safety Initiative (United States)

18. The United States thanked those Economies that have provided updated or new survey data in support of the survey conducted by the United States and Canada in 1998 regarding implementation of the recommendations of the former APEC Group of Experts on Aviation Safety and Assistance or GEASA. The United States agreed to update the analysis of the data and report to the next meeting of the Steering Committee in March 2000 in Singapore and encouraged all Economies to provide updated survey data as appropriate. The United States asked that the Steering Committee endorse its proposal (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.7/1) to host an aviation safety seminar at TPT-WG 17 and agreed to provide further clarification of the program, an agenda and a list of speakers for Economies’ information intercessionally via the TPT-WG web site.

Recommendations to Plenary

19. The Steering Committee noted the progress report given by the United States on updating the analysis of the follow-on surveys to the former APEC Group of Experts on Aviation Safety and Assistance or GEASA and looks forward to the revised report to be provided by the United States at TPT-WG 17. The Steering Committee further encourages all Economies that have not done so to provide updated survey information to the United States intercessionally. The Steering Committee endorses the proposal that the United States host a one-day aviation safety seminar at TPT-WG 17 in March 2000 in Singapore.

Y2K Readiness in the Transport Sector

20. Japan and Indonesia presented information papers on Y2K-related issues. Japan proposed (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.8/1) that a list of Y2K experts be created within APEC and that a regional reporting system be established to exchange information among APEC member Economies on Y2K failures at the time of rollover. A number of Economies noted that regional Y2K reporting systems already existed in both the aviation and maritime modes and that an APEC regional reporting system might duplicate or even confuse efforts already in existence. It was agreed that Japan should compile a list of existing web site addresses or organizations that will be providing this type of information for all modes of transportation. Some initial examples given include: www.icao.org; www.imo.org; www.ship2000.com; www.dot.gov; www.motnet.go.jp; www.dfat.gov.au; and www.roadsafety.cl.

Recommendations to Plenary

21. The Steering Committee recommends that all Economies provide Japan as soon as possible with their web site addresses that identify contacts and status reporting on Y2K readiness and dynamic reporting. Japan has agreed to provide intercessionally to all Economies a list that is to include this information. The Steering Committee also commends the report provided by Indonesia on their status of Y2K readiness. (TPTWG16/SC/SEFTS/4.8/2)

1. Approval of New Projects

22. See paragraph four regarding an agreement by the United States to develop a proposal for TPT-WG 17 to establish a transportation security initiative within the SCSE.

2. Management Issues

23. See discussion under background above regarding recommendations in this area. Also, the Chair commended all Economies on their excellent, concise reporting of activities by the various experts groups.

This page was last updated on 1 Feb, 2008