Development Scenarios for the Navigation Thematic Area Draft
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MEKONG RIVER COMMISSION COUNCIL STUDY: Development Scenarios for the Navigation Thematic Area Draft Cambodia Lao PDR Thailand Viet Nam NAVIGATION PROGRAMME 1 Contents 1 INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE DOCUMENT 3 2 BASELINE AND DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS 3 2.1 BASELINE 3 2.2 2007 EARLY DEVELOPMENT 3 2.3 2020 DFS 3 2.4 2040 PLANNED DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO (WITH AND WITHOUT CLIMATE CHANGE) 3 3 NAVIGATION 4 3.1 CONTEXT, AND APPROACH AND PROCESS OF DATA COLLECTION/COMPILATION 4 3.1.1 FORMULATION OF THE MASTER PLAN FOR REGIONAL WATERBORNE TRANSPORTATION IN THE MEKONG BASIN, AND THE COUNCIL STUDY 4 3.1.2 RELEVANCE OF THE MASTER PLANNING PROJECT, IN VIEW OF THE COUNCIL STUDY 5 3.1.3 PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE METHODOLOGY USED 6 3.1.4 APPROACHES FOR THE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES UNDER NAVIGATION ONLY WITH DIRECT RELEVANCE TO THE COUNCIL STUDY 9 3.1.5 BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 3.2 SUMMARY OF COLLECTED DATA, AND SUMMARY OF DATA GAPS 18 3.2.1 SUMMARY OF COLLECTED DATA 18 3.2.2 IDENTIFICATION OF GAPS 137 3.3 THEMATIC SCENARIOS AND SUB-SCENARIOS FOR NAVIGATION 170 3.3.1 OVERVIEW OF SCENARIO-BUILDING FOR NAVIGATION 170 3.3.2 SCENARIOS 2020 AND 2040 FOR NAVIGATION INCLUDING THE TWO SUBSCENARIOS FOR 2040 173 3.3.3 ACTION PLAN FOR NAVIGATIION ACTIVITIES UNDER THE 2020 AND 2040 SCENARIOS 208 STANDARDIZE THE VESSEL CLASSIFICATION 226 CONDUCT FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE USE OF REINFORCED SEA-RIVER BARGES 226 DEVELOPMENT OF SHORT AND LONG TERM FLEET POLICY 226 IMPLEMENT FLEET PROJECTS OF THE RAP FOR TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS 226 2 NAVIGATION: THE THEMATIC DATA AND MAP SPECIFICATIONS DOCUMENT 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of the Document For the CS Coordinator 2 BASELINE AND DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS 2.1 Baseline For the CS Coordinator 2.2 2007 Early Development For the CS Coordinator 2.3 2020 DFS For the CS Coordinator 2.4 2040 Planned Development Scenario (With and Without Climate Change) For the CS Coordinator 3 3 NAVIGATION 3.1 Context, and approach and process of data collection/compilation 3.1.1 Formulation of the Master Plan for Regional Waterborne Transportation in the Mekong Basin, and the Council Study The Mekong River Commission continues to stress the importance of investing in the waterborne transport sector to create a better livelihood for future generations. The formulation of a “Master Plan for Regional Waterborne Transport in the Mekong River Basin” is crucial at this stage with the underlying reason to attract investments and realize additional regional trade potential. The MP formulation exercise is tightly linked to the Council Study in terms of data collection and analysis. Moreover the Development Scenarios for Navigation under the Master Plan were aligned with the Council Study, namely for 2020 and 2040. The Design of the Master Plan was conducted between January and November 2015, and is currently being finalized for approval by the Joint Committee. The main objective of the Master Plan formulation was “To design a short term and long term development programme which implementation will rehabilitate and improve the national and international transport network using the Mekong River Basin in the MRC Member Countries”. In view of the multi-modal transport situations, opportunities and prospects, and the importance of including the whole transport network into the strategy, it is given that the essential transport corridors in the Mekong Region also have to be taken into account, even if they are located outside of the Basin. So what roles could and should MRC play in this process? Mekong water transportation consists of two main types: Inland Waterway Transportation (IWT) and Maritime Transportation. Both types of navigation can be on a national level (domestic commerce and trade – rural water transportation – or access by sea-going vessels to Can Tho in Viet Nam for example), and on a trans-boundary level, or so-called navigation without frontiers (as a mechanism for regional and international trade – for example boats plying the area between the Lao PDR and Thailand or sea-going vessels between the sea and Phnom Penh port). In defining possible roles for the MRC, it needs to be recognised that national navigation development remains that country’s responsibility. However, there are valid roles – according to the above mandates – for MRC to assist the riparian countries in improving the national water transportation infrastructure and services that will have regional implications. Having regard to the mandate of the organisation, possible roles for MRC can be grouped into four categories and include the following aspects: Role 1: Develop and Implement Article 9 Freedom of Navigation This is the most evident and important role because this is the role of the Member Countries assigned to MRC when they drafted the 1995 Agreement: to increase regional trade and commerce by opening up the borders for cross-border navigation. The member countries respect MRCS for its neutrality, objectivity and technical excellence. This provides an excellent base for MRC to prepare an operational, legal and technical framework to ensure that the principle of Art. 9. Freedom of Navigation will become reality. Role 2: Provide Technical Products and Services Transportation data and information can be entered into this database for quick retrieval and use by member countries, providing river levels and flow monitoring and forecasts to the member countries. These are technically excellent analytical services to the member countries in relation to navigation. This activity could include the setting of regulations and standards in relation to water 4 transportation, for domestic and cross-border use, so that all member countries use a common system and thus improve efficiency and reduce accidents. Role 3: Strengthen Institutions and Capacity Facilitating capacity building and technology transfer to the member countries in relation to regional navigation. MRC could develop common standard training programmes to be delivered to line agencies in the member countries, including the transfer of technology/know how. Role 4: Promote, Mediate and Facilitate Dialogue Promotional and capacity building related activities, which could be initiated by the MRC Navigation Programme, play an important part in changing established perceptions. The aim will simply be to convince policymakers and relevant national line agencies, together with private sector parties, that waterborne transport has a promising future. Waterborne transport, and in particular cross-border transportation needs to be followed-up and monitored in a more proper manner. There are an increasing number of regional projects on water transportation, due to the fact that this sector is gaining more importance, the impact of external investments should be better guaranteed. The agencies to be involved in such activities are the national line agencies and responsible ministries, the private sector, ASEAN, relevant UN agencies and in particular the development banks such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the World Bank (WB). Presently there is little overall co-ordination among these different players in the regional infrastructure sector, and overlaps have already occurred. MRC is in a position where it can take stock of activities that have been planned and are being implemented, and distribute the information to all related agencies on future navigation activities, and how such activities can be integrated in the overall regional infrastructure system. 3.1.2 Relevance of the Master Planning Project, in view of the Council Study Relevance for Waterborne Cargo Transport To fully realise trade and transport potential, an in-depth socio-economic and technical study for the improvement of the waterborne transport on the Mekong is required. Determining the optimal inter- modal nodes and links between the waterways, ports, roads and rail is vital to improve the cost- effectiveness of the regional transport system. In line with the viability assessment, a regional master plan will be formulated to determine where and quantify to what extent the different stretches of the whole Mekong River Basin will be improved. It is suggested that the MRC assist in drawing up a Master Plan for Regional Intermodal Waterborne Transport including the required intermodal terminals to show the socio-economic feasibility of enhancing regional waterborne transport and trade in the Mekong River Basin. Six main factors influence the extent to which the Mekong River and its tributaries are used for transportation purposes: economic and trade growth (development of cargo flows); presence of transport mode choices and strength of competition of other modes; policies and stimulus measures; physical restrictions (depth, rapids); non-physical (institutional) barriers; and labour skills in the waterborne transport sector. Financial aid required may encompass projects to remove both physical and non-physical barriers to the development of waterborne transport opportunities. Prioritised investment opportunities are intended to be worked out at “project file” level. 5 The output should elaborate on the most likely development strategy for inland waterborne transport and maritime access into an action plan comprising four regional aspects: access of sea-going vessels in and transit of sea-going vessels through Viet Nam; waterway traffic between Cambodia and Viet Nam, and overseas trading partners; access to southern Lao PDR by means of multimodal and/or waterborne transport; and multimodal and waterborne transport between Lao PDR, Thailand, Myanmar and China. Relevance for Waterborne Passenger Transport and Tourism There is huge potential for waterborne tourism, even ecotourism. New international traffic opportunities such as tourist boat services between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City are being promoted through the new navigation agreement between the two countries. Port facilities in Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh are expected to be complemented by plans for improving the Chong Kneas Port on the Tonle Sap Lake near the Angkor temple complex.