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APEC Transportation
Ministers Meeting Focus on Security Mr Vaile, who will
chair the ministerial meeting, said a key aim for
APEC was building the capacity of all economies to
create an environment for the secure and efficient
movement of passengers and freight across the
region. "The economic
impact of a terrorist attack involving a large
passenger aircraft in Australia is estimated to be
around $30 billion. The meeting of APEC
Transportation Ministers in Adelaide on 28-30 March
offers an opportunity to work together to protect
our transport systems from the threat of
terrorism," Mr Vaile said. "The networked
nature of the region's transport system means that
attacks in one economy can have far reaching
ramifications for other economies, so improving
preventative security in the transport sector is an
important challenge for all economies in the
region. "For example,
developing comprehensive transport security
strategies that focus on the international
intermodal movement of cargo door-to-door, and in
particular focusing on the high-risk transfer
points is an important economic priority for the
economy. "This could also
extend to joint development projects that may lead
to improved consistency in standards, identify good
practice and the development of capability
programmes that would economically benefit all APEC
economies. "It is important
that the APEC economies continue to work together
to enhance the region's transport security capacity
by identifying best practices, sharing information
and training programs. "Good examples of
these collaborative approaches so far have been
work led by Singapore on total supply chain
security, a joint Australian-Indonesian project on
aviation security and an enhanced ongoing model
visit program in relation to internal maritime
standards. "The latest focus
of global aviation security is on liquids, aerosols
and gels (LAGs), and each country is adopting
slightly different requirements on slightly
different timetables. In Australia, new security
measures for LAGs come into effect from 31 March
2007. The security outcome is paramount but greater
cooperation between APEC economies on LAGs issues
will allow a more seamless experience for
passengers," Mr. Vaile said. For further
information contact: Christopher Hawkins
on +61 (0)433 810 844 or E-mail:
ch@apec.org Anita Douglas on
+65 9172 6427 or E-mail: ad@apec.org |
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The
"Cooperation,
collaboration and capacity building offer
significant opportunities for all economies to
enhance their transport security
frameworks.