International relation and cooperation
Sister Port Project between Kitakyuchu Port and Laem Chabang Port
Kitakyuchu is a city located
in the northern part of Kyuchu Island, Japan. It is one of the
significant industrial city, especially steel industries.
The Port of Kitakyuchu ranks sixth in the highest cargo handling
ports in Japan. It handled cargos in the excess of 100 million
tons per year, costing more than a hundred billion yen. While
trading with Thailand, it comes on the forth after the US, Korea
and Taiwan accordingly.
On July 22, 1991, Thailand
and Japan had signed an agreement on Sister Port Project between Kitkyuchu
Port and Laem Chabang Port at the International Conference Centre, Kotakyuchu,
Japan. The Thai representative was Vice Admiral Somnuk Thepawal while
the Japanese was Mayor Koichi Suyoshi. The Protocol was honorably held
and officially participated by the Thai Ambassador of Tokyo, state officials,
businesspeople and relevant parties.
The crucial details of the agreement are as follows:
Both ports will hold conference together once
every two year, considering significant problems and difficulties
they are facing. They will also exchange useful information and
materials concerning commercial business and the maritime transshipment
of the both ports as well as other ports worldwide.
Both ports will cooperate in exchanging officials
for essential and beneficial trainings. They will also promote each
other’s activities through various advertisements.
Each port will participate in the other port’s
special activities.
Both ports will consider giving privileges to
certain vessels frequently cruise between the two ports or either
given to promote the route and the ports. However, those privileges
will not violate the both ports’ and international regulations.
Consequences
of the Sister Port Project between Kitakyuchu Port and Laem Chabang
Port are as follows:
1. Promotion of Laem Chabang Port and Kitakyuchu
Port.
1.1 Encourage shipping lines in the group of Nippon Yusen Kaisha
(NYK) and Siam Paetra International Co. (SPIC) to embark on the
route passing both ports.
1.2 Kitakyuchu Port started reducing
docking fees and quayside crane fees down by 20 percent since April
1, 1994. Followed up, from September 1, 2001, Laem Chabang Port
also reduced docking fees for vessels in excess of 6,000 ton gross
which cruised from Kitakyuchu Port. These vessels will receive a
discount of 4 Baht per ton gross.
1.3 Laem Chabang Port is studying
the financial structures and budget systems to promote trade acceleration
between the two ports.
Information Exchange and Publicity
Activities.
2.1 Exchange information of imported
and exported products annually by clearly categorizing the types and
quantity of the products of each port.
2.2 The Port Authority of Thailand
and Kitakyuchu Port had launched their advertisement through various
classified ads.
2.3Both ports agreed to collaborate
on updating information and exchanging media such as brochures, visuals
and VCDs.
Trainee Exchange
Both The Port Authority of Thailand and Kitakyuchu Port exchange trainees
every year by sending officials to visit, observe and attend workshops
concerning port development in various aspects such as environment,
port administration and management, computers and many others. The
human resources of the Laem Chabang Port, Bangkok Port and Kitakyuchu
Port will gain knowledge and experience from these aspects and will
expand their capabilities, which directly benefit their organizations.
Sister Port Conference
The Port Authority of Thailand and Kitakyuchu Port agreed to hold
a conference every two year by switching the hosting after then.
The host country is responsible for the conference expenditures
except the travel expenses of other parties’ representatives.
The conference had been held for seven times.
Copyright 2005 Laem Chabang Port. All Rights Reserved.
