Singapore hosts 36th ASEAN Maritime Transport Working Group Meeting and 12th Meeting on ASEAN-China Maritime Consultation Mechanism
1 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will host the 36th ASEAN Maritime Transport Working Group Meeting (MTWG) and the 12th Meeting on ASEAN-China Maritime Consultation Mechanism (ACMCM) from 13 to 16 August 2018.
2 The MTWG is the principal coordinating and implementing arm of the ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) that advances maritime transport related programmes, projects and activities under the Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan 2016-2025 (KLTSP). The KLTSP is a 10-year masterplan for the ASEAN transport sector aimed at enhancing regional economic integration. The ACMCM is a technical forum between China and ASEAN Member States. The forum discusses, among others, issues relating to technical cooperation and capacity building in maritime safety and environment protection.
3 At the 36th MTWG, the 10 ASEAN Member States will further discussions on regional cooperation initiatives embodied in the KLTSP’s goals, including the concept paper on the pilot of the ASEAN Single Shipping Market.
4 Chairman of the MTWG, Capt. M Segar, Assistant Chief Executive (Operations), MPA, said, “Singapore is honoured to host both the 36th MTWG and the 12th ACMCM. Both meetings are important platforms for discussion and regional collaboration among the ASEAN Member States, and with ASEAN’s dialogue partners. At the MTWG, ASEAN Member States will work closely with dialogue partners such as China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea and international partners such as the International Maritime Organization on issues of mutual interest to enhance connectivity, efficiency, safety and sustainability in maritime transport in ASEAN. Singapore looks forward to having good discussions at the upcoming meetings and working together with our fellow ASEAN Member States and partners, to further progress in maritime transport initiatives in the region.”
5 Singapore is chairing the MTWG over a two-year term from 2018 to 2019. The chairmanship of the MTWG is rotated amongst the ASEAN Member States on a biennial basis.
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About the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was established on 2 February 1996, with the mission to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime centre (IMC), and to advance and safeguard Singapore's strategic maritime interests. MPA is the driving force behind Singapore's port and maritime development, taking on the roles of Port Authority, Port Regulator, Port Planner, IMC Champion, and National Maritime Representative. MPA partners the industry and other agencies to enhance safety, security and environmental protection in our port waters, facilitate port operations and growth, expand the cluster of maritime ancillary services, and promote maritime R&D and manpower development.
About the Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan (KLTSP)
The Brunei Action Plan was adopted by the 16th ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting (ATM) in 2010 and served as the main reference guiding ASEAN transport cooperation and integration from 2011-2015. In line with the successful conclusion of the Brunei Action Plan in 2015, the ASEAN Transport Ministers agreed to develop the successor plan to the Brunei Action Plan, the KLTSP.
The KLTSP aims to support the realisation of the vision of the ASEAN Economic Community 2025 which calls for a deeply integrated region that will contribute towards a highly cohesive ASEAN economy. In this regard, the KLTSP which serves as a guiding regional policy document, outlines 30 specific goals, 78 actions and 221 milestones in the areas of air transport, land transport, maritime transport, sustainable transport and transport facilitation.
About the ASEAN Single Shipping Market
The development of an ASEAN Single Shipping Market (ASSM) will lead towards a stronger ASEAN maritime sector and is consistent with the ASEAN Leaders’ commitment in the Bali Concord II of October 2003, to develop ASEAN as a single market and production base. The ASSM will also contribute towards transforming ASEAN into the region with free movement of goods, services, investment, capital and skilled labour.
Once operationalised, the ASEAN Single Shipping Market is expected to lead to the free flow of intra-ASEAN shipping services, where there will be no restriction to ASEAN shipping services, where there will be substantially no restriction to ASEAN shipping service suppliers in providing services and in establishing companies across national borders within to the region, subject to domestic regulations.
Group photo of participants at the 36th Maritime Transport Working Group (MTWG) Meeting. From left to right, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Capt. M Segar, Chairman of MTWG, Guest of Honour, Mr Calvin Phua, Deputy Secretary (Hub Strategy), Ministry of Transport (Singapore), Brunei Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Singapore and ASEAN Secretariat
Group photo of participants at the 12th ASEAN-China Maritime Consultation Mechanism (ACMCM) Meeting. From left to right, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, ACMCM Co-chair (China), ACMCM Co-chair (Singapore), Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, ASEAN Secretariat