UNCTAD Policy Brief No. 93, Emerging strategies for ports during the pandemic
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on humankind and on global commerce. Ports and port communities have experienced major changes to normal operating environments.
The strategies used by ports to remain open and continue to facilitate sustainable economic development throughout the pandemic may provide useful lessons for policymakers, particularly in relation to the protocols and innovative measures that have been employed to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the movement of imports and exports as well as ships’ crew and essential port workers.
Key points:
- Ports are essential facilitators of world trade
- Public health advice is crucial in mitigating the impact of pandemics
- Government policy and regulation is required to support port operations during pandemics
COVID-19 and Maritime Trasport: Navigating the Crisis and Lessons Learned
UNCTAD's report "Covid-19 and maritime transport: Navigating the crisis and lessons learned" describes how the COVID-19 pandemic shocked the global maritime transport system and some of the key effects on the sector. It highlights challenges arising from the disruption across ports and hinterland connections and examines response and mitigation measures implemented by various stakeholders. It sets out the key lessons that can inform and guide preparedness and resilience-building efforts in transport and logistics.
Data mapping of the IFTMIN UN/EDIFACT message and the SMGS and CIM/SMGS railway consignment notes to the UN/CEFACT Multimodal Transport Reference Data Model (MMT RDM)
The Data mapping of the IFTMIN UNEDIFACT message and the SMGS and CIMSMGS railway consignment notes to the UNCEFACT MMT RDM was developed as part of the United Nations response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic under the United Nations multiagency project “Transport and Trade Connectivity in the Age of Pandemics: UN solutions for contactless, seamless and collaborative transport and trade”.
This electronic document equivalent Standard Package consists of the following elements:
How to develop real world electronic document equivalents using UN/CEFACT standards and reference data models
The digitalization of the supply chain is the dominant trend in international trade and transport at present and the main tool for facilitating trade procedures. Due to the essence of the supply chain as a process of interaction between many parties within many jurisdictions, ensuring interoperability plays a key role both in the supply chain and in the digitalization processes. In this regard, the development, maintenance and adoption of standards at the international level play an extremely important role. This explains the continued focus on standardization in trade and transport facilitation by UN institutions: notably, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT).
Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for commercial contracts covering the transportation of goods in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond
With a view to increase awareness of Government officials and transport operators in Asia and the Pacific region on the ways of addressing some of the key legal implications of COVID-19 for commercial contracts covering transport of goods and to assist shippers and consignees, particularly in developing countries in addressing some of the key commercial law implications of the COVID-19 crisis, the UNESCAP secretariat conducted research and preliminary analysis of the challenges arising from the COVID-19 crisis affecting international commercial contracts, including contracts on international carriage of goods by various modes of transport, focusing particularly on land and multimodal transport.
The Model Subregional Agreement on Transport Facilitation
The Model Subregional Agreement on Transport Facilitation has been elaborated on the basis of findings of comparative studies between major subregional agreements on transport facilitation to which various ESCAP member States are parties, conducted in 2014-2015. It has been subsequently reviewed by two regional expert meetings held in 2015 and finalized with incorporation of ESCAP member States’ comments.
ITF Southeast Asia Transport Outlook
This report provides scenarios for future transport demand and CO2 emissions in Southeast Asia up to 2050 to help decision-makers chart pathways to sustainable, resilient transport. The scenarios reflect existing policy initiatives and specific constraints in the region. They also examine the potential impact of policies addressing the challenges and opportunities for transport from Covid-19.
Training Manual on Operational Aspects of Multimodal Transport
Acknowledging the importance of multimodality in enhancing the seamlessness of supply chain and logistics network for ESCAP member countries, including landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), the “Training Manual on Operational Aspects of Multimodal Transport” was developed as part of ESCAP Transport Division initiatives to improve technical knowledge of the transport and logistics sector and to support human resource development and capacity-building of ESCAP member countries.
(EN&RU) Guide to the Implementation of Art. 1 para. 3 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement: Trade Facilitation Enquiry Points
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) entered into force on 22 February 2017. The United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) defines trade facilitation as “the simplification, harmonization and standardization of the procedures and associated information flows required to move goods and provide related services from seller to buyer such as payments”1. Trade facilitation can help simplify, standardize, harmonize, and modernize international cross-border trade, thereby increasing trade volumes and making international trade faster and cheaper, as well as more accessible for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and landlocked developing countries. Trade and trade facilitation have the potential to contribute to resilient, inclusive and sustainable recovery after the pandemic.
According to Art.1 of the TFA, WTO members shall promptly publish information related to international trade to enable WTO members (and all interested parties, accordingly) to acquaint each other with their trade rules and ensure transparent and predictable conditions of international trade. WTO members are also encouraged to make available further trade-related information on the Internet and to establish or maintain enquiry points. In compliance with TFA Art. 1.3 these enquiry points should provide the necessary information.
Uzbekistan: Implementation of the interactive service «Enquiry Point for Trade Facilitation»
Article 1 of the TFA obliges WTO members (and therefore all interested parties) to promptly publish information related to international trade, so that WTO members (and, accordingly, all interested parties) can familiarize themselves with the rules to ensure a transparent and predictable environment for international trade. WTO Members are encouraged to provide access to trade-related information via Internet and establish or maintain enquiry points (EP).
Currently, in the Republic of Uzbekistan, work is underway to bring national legislation in line with the requirements of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).