REAgenda Item 1 Intergovernmental Agreement on Asian Highway

1
Committee on Managing Globalization 3rd Session,
12 14 September 2006, Bangkok
Introduction to Agenda Item 4 on Cross-Cutting
Issues Promoting Dry Ports as a Means of
Sharing the Benefits of Globalisation to Inland
LocationsDocument E/ESCAP/CMG(3/I)/1
Barry Cable Coordinator, Theme Group on Managing
Globalization
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Benefits of Globalisation

• Continued strong growth in ESCAP member
  economies, but geographical distribution often
  obscured
• coastal areas often outpace inland centres
• Clustering of economic activity around sea ports
  attracts production
• Can be self-perpetuating
• Opportunity for growth benefits of ports to be
  replicated at inland locations

3
Defining Dry Ports

• Expected Characteristics of a Dry Port
• Defined inland location
• Intermodal facilities
• Consolidation, clearance and distribution of
  goods
• Logistics services
• Functions similar to a sea port
• container handling, intermodal connectivity,
  associated service provision etc
• Customs clearance services

4
Connecting Dry Ports to the Globalisation Process

• Promoting dry ports could have competitiveness
  benefits by reducing port congestion and export
  costs
• May have broader benefits
• Attracting associated services
• Clustering of production
• Reduced coastal migration
• Job creation
• Economies of scale
• Environmental encouraging modal shift to rail
• ESCAP region likely undersupplied on dry ports

5
Issues for Consideration

• Dry ports will be discussed at forthcoming
  Ministerial Conference on Transport, to be held
  in Busan, Republic of Korea, 6-11 November 2006.
• Delegates are invited to inform the Committee on
  progress made in individual countries with
  respect to the development of dry ports and
  growth centres away from coastal areas
• including illustrating those factors considered
  to be crucial to success, such as public-private
  partnerships in development and operations.
• the Committee is also invited to provide guidance
  with respect to
• A) appropriate roles for national Governments,
  local governments and the private sector in
  fostering dry ports as growth centres, including
  how other ministries and institutions might be
  encouraged to become involved in exploring the
  dry ports issue further
• B) Whether and how the secretariat (jointly with
  ADB, ASEAN and others including SPECA) could
  assist in devising policies on dry port
  development.
• This could include analysis and sharing of good
  practices, as well as potential pilot projects
  to be carried out with member countries.