Transportation

The efficient and safe transportation of goods and people are key to APEC's goal of free and open trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Transportation Working Group (TPTWG) aims to achieve the liberalization of transportation services and works to enhance the safety of APEC transport systems to encourage economic development. It aims to balance security, safety and environmental requirements with trade facilitation.

The TPTWG has a clearly defined set of priority action areas based on Leaders’ declarations and transportation ministerial meeting statements as well as instructions from the Senior Officials and the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Steering Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation.

The TPTWG’s priorities and project outputs respond to directives from APEC Transportation Ministers, APEC Economic Leaders, and the outcomes of meetings. The priorities include:

• Finding ways in which liberalization of transport can promote regional economic integration while ensuring economically productive and healthy competition
• Responding to new and emerging transport challenges
• Assisting in the formulation and implementation of standards and mechanisms that improve interoperability and sustainability of transport systems
• Identifying opportunities to collaborate in maximizing the uptake, opportunities and benefits of technological developments and other innovations, and in mitigating any attendant challenges
• Increasing the priority placed on transport safety, security, efficiency, and sustainability, while assisting in the development of comprehensive strategies for individual APEC member economies
• Implementing projects

The TPTWG is composed of four expert groups and two affiliation networks.

Expert Groups

The Maritime Expert Group (MEG) aims to promote an efficient, safe, secure and competitive operating environment for maritime transport, to increase ports’ capacity by improving the efficiency of ports and related activities in the APEC region, to support Member Economies in developing and implementing measures to strengthen maritime security in the APEC region, and to achieve environmentally friendly development and operation.

The Aviation Expert Group’s (AEG) scope comprises issues directly linked to air services, and aviation security and safety in the APEC region. AEG work programs relate to cooperation for aviation safety, security, and facilitation in line with standards and recommended practices of the convention on international civil aviation (Chicago Convention).

Land Expert Group (LEG): LEG is a forum for Member Economies to work cooperatively in developing measures to promote efficient, safe, secure, integrated, competitive and environmentally sustainable land transportation systems in the APEC region. In response to TPT-WG priorities, LEG also seeks to strengthen APEC Member Economies’ cooperation on human resources development and personnel training. LEG has two Sub-groups: the Road and Rail Safety Sub-group (LEG-SAF) and the Vehicle Standards Harmonization Sub-group (LEG-VSHG).

Intermodal and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Experts Group (IIEG): IIEG is a forum for Member Economies to promote the implementation of seamless, efficient, sustainable and integrated intermodal transportation systems to facilitate trade in the Asia-Pacific region. The IIEG also promotes the application of electronic commerce, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), and other advanced ITS technologies. IIEG has one sub-group: the GNSS

Affiliated Networks

The APEC Port Service Network (APSN) is a non-profit and self-funded organization, comprised of a Council, Advisory Board, and members of APEC Economies. The APSN aims to achieve APEC’s overall goals through economic cooperation, capacity building, and exchange of information and persons among ports, port-associated industries, and services. The APSN reports on its work to TPT-WG annually or when required.

The APEC Seafarers’ Excellence Network (APEC SEN) is comprised of the Steering Council, Expert Groups, Associates and Secretariat. APEC SEN aims to seamlessly fulfill the demands of the current and emerging needs of the shipping industry and seafarers of the APEC region, by placing a strong emphasis on strengthening employability through strong online and offline networks to yield implementation of quality maritime education and training; attaining better welfare by providing collaborative supports; and career development and re-training for seafarers’ job transitions in the digital age.

Last page update: April 2022

Contacts