7TH PAPC CONFERENCE 2008 DJIBOUTI

Balancing the Development of Ports and Counterpart Facilities and Systems in Africa

G M MaetiCOMESA SecretariatLusaka, Zambia

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Outline of the Presentation

• Introduction• Questions• Pre independence and post independence

considerations in ports development• Current Imbalances (State of railways, roads, pipelines,

human capital)• Ports Capacities • Lessons from the rest of the world• Current approaches at regional and continental levels to

enhance balanced development of facilities and systems• Roles that African ports associations do facilitate

balanced facilities and systems• Roles of Ports and RECs

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Introduction• World trade has been growing both in volume and value terms and sea

transport conveys over 80 per cent in volume terms• Asia and Latin America have experienced rapid growth rates during last two

decades and Africa could do the same in the coming decades• In order to meet Africa’s growth needs, ports and counterpart transport

modes will need capacity to handle increased cargo volumes efficiently• There is a systematic move towards regional economic blocks providing

trading preferences among members• African ports make their own individual development masterplans• Transport and terminal service providers make their own independent plans• There is need to handle transport services in the light of a total transport

logistics approach• There are challenges in harmonising the interests of ports and other players

to achieve an optimal balance• It is important to eliminate imbalances in capacity development• Individual ports and their associations can play an important role in

promoting balance in the provision of capacity

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Questions

• What considerations guided the development of port facilities in the colonial period and which ones have been guiding the post colonial period?

• Has the development of port facilities been balanced with other transport facilities both in the waterside and landward dimensions?

• Can ports influence policy and actual investment in the development of counterpart facilities and systems to maximise balanced developments in the entire logistic chains?

• Are there lessons from the rest of the world?• What is happening at regional and continental levels to enhance

balanced development of facilities and systems?• What could African ports associations and RECs do tofacilitate the

development of balanced facilities and systems?

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Pre and Post-independence Considerations

• Pre independence Considerations

• Meet the needs of extractive trade in minerals and agricultural raw materials

• Rail the primary mode of transport• Each colonial power built its own ports and

transport links• Management controlled by the imperial powers• Shipping lines also dominated by metropolitan

powers

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Pre and Post-independence Considerations

• Post-independence Considerations

• On attaining independence states felt largely contented to inherit the colonial ports and transport networks and operate them as new acquisitions wielding power and prestige

• Ports tried to respond to developments in the industrial world in order to cope with the developments in ship designs and waterside services but not matching the same in shore handling operations

• New initiatives involving modern technology in areas information processing including ITC not adopted

• Railway networks remain narrow gauge while the developed world has gradually converted into standard or broad gauges

• Management of ports and railways remains tightly under government control and have not encouraged innovation and competence

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Current Imbalances• The principle that the maximum output of a serial network depends on the

capacity of its slowest component applies • Internally ports have continued to develop physical infrastructure • Matching developments have not taken place in counterpart systems• Railways have been static or regressive in terms of permanent way and

rolling stock due to lack of investment• Increase in road infrastructure development but due to lack of good

husbandry in enforcing axle load limits and poor maintenance they have not provided a consistent and sustainable alternative

• Ship operations outputs have risen but shorehandling operations have declined because of bottlenecks due to declining offtake rates as rail and road services have continued to decline

• Strong lobbies by shipping lines, the shipowners have continued to bid for and obtain higher quality of service while the shipper has secured comparable benefits from new investments because higher operating costs arising from delays in cargo offtake and persistent congestion.

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Effects of Current Imbalances

• Increased output levels in stevendoring (ship to shore) operations

• Low outputs in shore handling operations

• Low availability of rail wagons and locomotives

• Delays in cargo deliveries

• Congestion in port terminals and yards

• High costs to cargo owners8

Ports Capacities

• Ports in the African region have developed as monopolies over the years and tend to have unique capacities not available in other spheres of government or private sector

• These include specialised skills(Human capital) in areas such as

• Navigation, • marine engineering, • equipment fabrication, operation and maintenance, • safety oversight, • pollution control

• In some countries ports have been entrusted with regulatory responsibilities such as

• flag state control• port state control

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Ports Capacities (cont)

• Ports are often in possession of financial resources to

• undertake feasibility studies, • coordinate planning, • provide training

• Ports also have real potential in areas such as

• Advocacy • Provision of Peer exposure

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Lessons from the rest of the world

• Integrated logistics for development of ports, rail and roads in the European Union

• Integrated planning for the development of ports, railways, road and inland water operations in China

• Construction of rail bypasses in the development of the new JNT port in Bombay

• Establishment of rail land bridges in the US where shipping lines operate block trains from coast to coast

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Regional and continental Approaches

• At regional levels current approaches to enhance balanced development of facilities and systems include

• Corridor development approach

• Regional trunk road networks

• Establishment of project financing facilities

• Transport facilitation instruments

• Development of one stop border posts

• At continental level the following approaches have been adopted:

• Trans African highways

• Continental rail gauges harmonisation12

African Corridors

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Rail Links in ESA Region

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Regional Road Links in ESA

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Potential Roles for African Ports Associations

• The African ports associations can play the following important roles in facilitating balanced facilities and systems

• Network with counterpart associations in rail and roads • Identify and prioritise regional projects for the development

of integrated transport facilities• Jointly with counterpart associations mobilise resources from

regional and international investors and funds for total logistics project implementation

• Provide leadership through development of model instruments for adoption at country levels

• Facilitate peer networking and development of best practices in the integrated transport environment

• Provide advocacy through interventions in regional and continental fora

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Role of Ports

• Engage national policy makers at the level of policy formulation to enhance integrated development of transport

• Participate in identification of national/regional projects to enhance integrated development of transport

• Provide resources to undertake upstream project preparation tasks and cofinance projects which enhance promote integrated connectivity

• Take part in specialist fora for networking with counterpart service providers and regulatory authorities

• Participate in advocacy and peer networking for the ports sector

• Participate actively in regional and continental dialogues on transport related issues

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Role of RECs

• Failitate in the identification and prioritisation of regional projects to enhance integrated development of transport

• Mobilise resources to undertake upstream project preparation for projects which enhance promote integrated connectivity

• Facilitate the establishment of specialist regional fora for networking with counterpart service providers and regulatory authorities

• Provide networks for advocacy and peer networking at regional levels for the ports sector

• Provide for a for in regional and continental dialogues on transport related issues

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END

THANK YOU

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