APEC Port Services Network and the Green Port Award System

Transcription

1 2017/SOM1/003 Agenda Item: 5 APEC Port Services Network and the Green Port Award System Purpose: Information Submitted by: China First Senior Officials Meeting Nha Trang, Viet Nam 2-3 March 2017

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Concept Paper explains the background information and provides updates on the APEC Port Services Network (APSN) and the Green Port Award System (GPAS). The APSN was initiated by Chinese Leader during the 14 th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting held in Viet Nam in The APSN was established under the auspices of APEC in 2008 to bring together the port and port-related industries with senior representatives in APEC member economies. The mandate of the APSN is to promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment and enhance supply chain security by strengthening economic cooperation, capacity building, information and personnel exchange among port and port-related industries and services in the Asia-Pacific region, so as to achieve the common prosperity of the APEC member economies as a whole. Currently, 18 APEC member economies have joined the APSN as Council Members. Over the past eight years, the APSN has successfully held a series of workshops on topics. The 2016 APEC Ministerial Meeting recognized the contribution of APSN. The GPAS program is a green evaluation system for ports in the APEC region developed by APSN. It represents an integral part of APSN s ongoing efforts to promote the green growth of the APEC port industry. With the two rounds of pilot program in 2014 and 2015 in APEC region, GPAS was officially launched in The first APSN Green Ports Award was presented to 7 ports from 4 economies. This August, the APSN will hold the Workshop on Port Cooperation and Competition in conjunction with the 10 th Council Meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. We welcome all APEC economies to participate in this event and welcome more ports to apply GPAS. Required Action/Decision Points It is recommended that Senior Officials: Discuss and welcome the Concept Paper.

3 (as of 15 February 2017) Concept Paper APEC Port Services Network and the Green Port Award System (Submitted by: China, for information by FoTC on Connectivity and SOM1) I. Background of the APEC Port Services Network (APSN) The APEC Port Services Network (APSN) was initiated by Chinese Leader during the 14 th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting held in Viet Nam in The APSN was established under the auspices of APEC in 2008 to bring together the port and port-related industries with senior representatives in APEC member economies. The mandate of the APSN is to promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment and enhance supply chain security by strengthening economic cooperation, capacity building, information and personnel exchange among port and port-related industries and services in the Asia-Pacific region, so as to achieve the common prosperity of the APEC member economies as a whole. Currently, 18 APEC member economies have joined the APSN as Council Members, including Australia; Canada; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; New Zealand; Singapore; Russia; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the United States of America and Viet Nam. The APSN also has 15 Advisory Board Members and more than 100 Regular Members from port, shipping, logistics, trade, finance, and other related industries in the APEC region. The President of the APSN Council is from Canada; the first Vice President comes from Malaysia; the Second Vice President comes from Singapore, and the Secretary-General is from China. The Secretariat is located in Beijing, China and is responsible for the day-to-day work of the Organization. Over the past eight years, the APSN has successfully held a series of workshops on topics, including but not limited to, the development of green ports, the connectivity of ports, and the safety of ports. The APSN has published annual reports on APEC Ports, established the APSN Port Database, and conducted relevant project studies. The APSN is currently promoting the Green Port Award System (GPAS) initiative for an improved evaluation and awarding mechanism for green ports. On 8-9 November 2016, APSN Workshop on Safety of Dangerous Goods at Ports was hold in Penang, Malaysia. The workshop was co-hosted by the APSN and Transport Ministry of Malaysia. More than 100 representatives from port competent authority, port industry, international organization and institution attended the workshop. With the significant growth of transport of the dangerous goods around the world and in the Asia-Pacific region, the handling of dangerous goods has become more and more important to the safe operation of ports. In this workshop, participants can learn about the theory, the method and best practice of risk management of dangerous goods at port, they can communicated with experts and managers from other economies, and receive many suggestions. At the same time, the First ASPN Green Ports Awarding Ceremony was held in Penang, Malaysia. The 2016 APEC Ministerial Meeting recognized the contribution of APSN, which stressed: We acknowledge the important role the transport sector plays in the interchange of goods and people between economies. We support ongoing initiatives to promote a safe, secure, efficient, resilient, and 1

4 innovative transport sector. In this regard, we appreciate the work of the APEC Port Service Network (APSN) to promote connectivity in the APEC ports and related industries. II. Background of the Green Port Award System (GPAS) GPAS program is a green evaluation system for ports in the APEC region developed by APSN. It represents an integral part of APSN s ongoing efforts to promote the green growth of the APEC port industry. GPAS is expected to better improve the environmental awareness, promote the sustainable development green strategy, advance the green interoperability and share the best practices for ports in APEC region that have the initiative to grow as the green port. Joining the GPAS program will significantly lift the profiles of ports and induce huge impacts on society. With the two rounds of pilot program in 2014 and 2015 in APEC region, GPAS was officially launched in The first APSN Green Ports Award was presented to 7 ports from 4 economies: Bangkok Port, Thailand; Jurong Port, Singapore; Ningbo Zhoushan Port Co., Ltd. Beilun Second Container Terminal Branch, China; Port Klang, Malaysia; Port of Singapore; Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia; and Qinhuangdao Port Co., Ltd. Sixth Port Branch, China. III. Future Programs and Events This August, the APSN will hold the Workshop on Port Cooperation and Competition in conjunction with the 10 th Council Meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, possibly during SOM3 and Related Meetings. The theme of the workshop is the Restructuring of the Shipping and Port Industry. In recent years, taking into account that the restructuring of the shipping and port companies is subjected to unprecedented concern, the APSN workshop provides a unique platform for stakeholders to discuss opportunities and challenges on relevant key issues arising from the restructuring, including but not limited to why the restructuring took place and how to cope with the challenges, and ultimately enhance the overall competiveness of the APEC port industry through cooperation and competition. For the past 9 years ever since its inception, the APSN Council meetings and workshops have been widely supported and actively participated by APSN member economies. In this connection, we welcome all APEC economies to participate in this event. The APSN will provide an important platform for communication and collaboration among the port and port-related industries of APEC economies, so as to promote the sound and sustainable development of the port industry in the Asia-Pacific region. For more program information and application issues, please visit APSN website: We welcome more ports to apply GPAS in APEC region. Applicants for GPAS can be any port (port authorities or port operators) who achieved a good progress to become green ports in the last two or more years. 2

5 Award For any query about GPAS, please feel free to contact the APSN Secretariat. The contact details for GPAS are as follows: C.C: 3