Expert Group Meeting on Strengthening Connectivity between

the Republic of Korea and Europe

through the Eurasian Transport Corridors

Beijing, 28-Feb-2019

Edouard Chong

Economic Affairs Officer

Transport Division

Overview of infrastructure and operational status

along the Eurasian Transport Corridors connecting

the Republic of Korea to Europe

BACKGROUND:

ESCAP INITIATIVES TO ENHANCE REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY

• Inter Governmental Agreements on Asian Highway, Trans-Asian Railway

Networks and the Dry Ports of international importance

• Transport facilitation is inherently challenging:

• Involves numerous countries, government agencies and local

authorities

• Different institutional environment

• Implementation capacities

• ESCAP transport facilitation framework, tools and models and other

intergovernmental agreements

STRENGTHENING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND

EUROPE THROUGH THE EURASIAN TRANSPORT CORRIDORS

Infrastructure:

• Identify appropriate transport corridors

• Review the infrastructure status along the corridors

• Identify gaps: missing links, substandard infrastructure and technical challenges etc.

• Compile information on financing options for infrastructure investments

Operational:

• Compile information on operational gaps and cross-borders challenges

• Review current institutional mechanism and legal instruments for cross-border transport operation

• Provide recommendations on transport facilitation

• Propose a more effective and efficient institutional mechanism for smooth operation of the corridors

Brief analysis on trade and transport flows between the Korean Peninsula and Europe

UNESCAP EURASIAN TRANSPORT CORRIDORS

EURASIAN NORTHERN TRANSPORT CORRIDORS

– Intercontinental & multimodal routes – On the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks – 23 countries – 48 inland border crossing points – 36 seaports

NORTHERN CORRIDOR

CENTRAL CORRIDOR

SOUTHERN CORRIDOR

OVERLAPPING INITIATIVES ALONG THE

MAIN ROUTES OF NORTHERN CORRIDORS

OVERLAPPING INITIATIVES ALONG THE

MAIN ROUTES OF NORTHERN CORRIDORS

RAILWAY NETWORK

RAILWAY NETWORK STATUS ALONG

EURASIAN NORTHERN TRANSPORT CORRIDORS

BORDER CROSSING AREAS AT THE KOREAN PENINSULA

Source: Kim et al, 2003

RAILWAY OPERATIONS

No missing links in railway network on Eurasian Northern Transport Corridors

Operational challenges remain:

• Technical aspects such as: differences in train length and fleet; railways electricity infrastructure, signal

systems; axle load; cargo trains speed etc.

RAILWAY OPERATIONS

Operational solutions ….

• Transhipment of freight by manual or mechanical means from wagons of one gauge to wagons of another

gauge directly or indirectly through platform, yard, storage or warehouse, or the transfer of passengers from

one train to another train.

• Bogie changing is the operation by which wagons are lifted on a set of jacks, bogies of one gauge rolled out

and bogies of the other gauge rolled in.

• Use of wagons with ‘variable-gauge’ bogies enables wagons to be pulled along a special transition track at

reduced speed. During the process, the distance between wheels is adjusted from one track gauge to another.

• Provision of two different track gauges is made on a single track foundation through the insertion of a third rail

• Conversion of tracks of different gauges to a single gauge standard is to build or re-build tracks in the same

standard.

.

Operational challenges remain:

• Different gauges: wide gauge of 1,520 mm vs. standard gauge of 1,435mm

RAILWAY OPERATIONS

Operational challenges remain:

Imbalance of rail cargo container flows – availability of wagons

Tariffs: non-competitive tariffs, fluctuations or sudden tariff adjustments; subsidies

Complexity of documentation requirements and transit time

o Risks relating to different administrative rules and documentation requirements.

o With regard to customs clearance, occasional difficulties in this area have been reported.

Delays of trains at border crossings are mostly caused by significant time required by control authorities, such as Customs,

immigration and quarantine, to process and clear documents and inspect goods. A survey made by OSJD indicated that 34% of

time of international trains was spent for border crossing formalities.

According to the Coordinating Council of Trans-Siberian Transportation (CCTT), main reasons for cargo delays or detentions at

borders along the Eurasian corridors route are:

- Incorrect execution of commercial/carriage documents (56%)

- Untimely provision of cargo consignment by empty rolling stock (12%)

- Customs procedures (9%)

RAILWAY CONTAINERS THROUGH MONGOLIA

Documents issues:

• Containers are arriving with incomplete documents

• Accompanying documents arrive in English but on the

Russian side, translation into Russian language is

mandatory.

Wagon supply issues:

• Wagon shortage

• Dilapidated wagons

• Weakness in management: group of wagons for block train coming in separate

groups; causes delays and sometimes confusions

• Single track – delays and lack of punctuality will impact traffic flows in both

directions

Source: Solongo 2017 presentation at UNESCAP

Average speed 36 km/h

ROAD NETWORK

ASIAN HIGHWAY NETWORK STATUS ALONG

EURASIAN NORTHERN TRANSPORT CORRIDORS

INTERNATIONAL ROAD OPERATIONS

Traffic rights and transport permits

INTERNATIONAL ROAD OPERATIONS

Operational issues: lack of standardized weights and dimensions for road freight vehicles

Maximum Width,

mm

Maximum

Height,

mm

Maximum Length, mm Maximum Gross

Weight, ton

Maximum Axle

Load, ton

Rigid

truck

Articulated

Vehicle/Road

Train

Rigid

Vehicle,

ton

Articulated

Vehicle/Road

Train, ton

Group

Axles,

ton

Single

Axle

Load,

ton

Republic of

Korea1

2,500x 4,000 .. 16,700 .. 40 .. 10

Democratic

People’s

Republic of

Korea

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

China2 2,550 4,000 12,000 20,000 31 49 24.00i 11.50iii

Mongolia3 2,500 4,000 12,000 18,750 ..

25

44 .. 11.5

Kazakhstan4 2,550ii 4,000 12,000 20,000 25 44 27 10

Russian

Federation5

2,550ii 4,000 12,000 20,000 35 44 26.00i 11.5

EU6 2,550ii 4,000 12,000 18,750 32 44 24.00i 11.5

EAEU7 2,550ii 4,000 12,000 20,000 32 40 .. 11.5

1 Reference Data to the Republic of Korea Motor Vehicle Management Act No.14546, Enforcement Date 18 July

2017’. 2 ‘People’s Republic of China National Standard GB 1589-2016: Limits of Dimensions, Axle Load and Masses for

Motor Vehicles, Trailers and Combinations Vehicles.’, 2016. 3 Mongolian State Standard: General Requirement for Technical Condition of Road Vehicles MNS 4598:2011

(Code: 43.040.01)’. 4 Order of the Minister of the Investments and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan No.342 from 26 March

2015 “On Approval of the Permissible Parameters of the Road Vehicles to Be Used on the Roads of the Republic of

Kazakhstan”’. 5 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation "On Approval of the Rules on Transport of Cargoes by Road

Transport No.272 from 15 April 2011 as Amended 22 December 2016.’ 6 ‘Council Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 Laying down for Certain Road Vehicles Circulating within the

Community the Maximum Authorized Dimensions in National and International Traffic and the Maximum

Authorized Weights in International Traffic’; ‘Directive (EU) 2015/719 of the European Parliament and of the

Council of 29 April 2015 Amending Council Directive 96/53/EC Laying down for Certain Road Vehicles

Circulating within the Community the Maximum Authorised Dimensions in National and International Traffic and

the Maximum Authorised Weights in International Traffic’. 7 Annex 5 to the ‘Technical Regulations ТР ТС 018/2011 of the Customs Union “On Safety of the Wheeled

Transport Vehicles” Approved by the Decision of the Custom Union’.

INTERNATIONAL ROAD OPERATIONS

Operational issues: lack of standardized weights and dimensions for road freight vehicles

INTERNATIONAL ROAD OPERATIONS

Operational issues: differences in emissions standards

INTERNATIONAL ROAD OPERATIONS

Operational issues: different documents required at the border-crossings:

China Kazakhstan

• Filing Form for International Road Transport Vehicle • Customs Declaration Form for temporary admission of the

vehicle

• Customs Vehicle Inspection Report • Passport or any other identification document of a person

undertaking customs clearance procedures

• Four color pictures of the vehicle

• Guarantee for vehicle required

• Advance electronic information about vehicle and cargo at

least one hour before arrival to the border crossing point

China Mongolia

• Filing Form for International Road Transport Vehicle • Customs Declaration for Temporary Importation of Vehicle

• Customs Vehicle Inspection Report • Vehicle Registration Certificate

• Four color pictures of the vehicle • National Vehicle Registration Plate and the Distinguishing

Sign.

• Guarantee for vehicle required

• Advance electronic information about vehicle and cargo at

least one hour before arrival to the border crossing point

Russian Federation Kazakhstan

No documents required – Eurasian Economic Union No documents required – Eurasian Economic Union

Customs requirements for vehicles

INTERNATIONAL ROAD OPERATIONS

Operational issues: examples of documents required at the border-crossings

Examples of required documents by transport

authorityExamples of required documents for cargo

• Vehicle Registration Certificate Customs Declaration Form for Importing Goods

• Vehicle Inspection Certificate • Trading Contract

• Cross-border Transport Permit • Consignment Note

• Third Party Liability Vehicle Insurance Certificate • Authorization and Entrustment Agreement for Customs

Clearance

• Valid Driving License Commercial Invoice

• National Vehicle Registration Plate and the Distinguishing

Sign• Packing List

• Veterinary Certificate, Phytosanitary Certificate

INTERNATIONAL ROAD OPERATIONS

Other operational issues:

• Designated transport routes

• Visa requirements for drivers and crew

• Insurance requirements

• Diver’s license

DRY-PORTS AND SEA-PORTS

Country Seaport Turnover (million tons)

Dalian 423

Yingkou 331

Tianjin 540

Lianyungang 196

Nampo 14

Chongjin 8

Hungnam 4

Rajin 3

Sonbong 2

Wonsan 2

Busan 292

Gwangyang 211

Incheon 97

Pyeongtaek-Dangjin 92

Pohang 91

Ulsan 71

Vladivostok 15

Nahodka 21

Vostochny 58

St. Petersburg 61

China

Democratic People’s

Republic of Korea

Republic of Korea

Russian Federation

SEA-LAND CONNECTIVITY

REPUBLIC OF KOREA – EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA

Short Sea Shipping ->

• Trans-Siberia Railway

• Trans-Mongolia Railway

• Trans-China Railway

Artic Sea Route

Transport Corridors

SEA-LAND CONNECTIVITY

REPUBLIC OF KOREA – MONGOLIA

Source: Adapted from Presentation by SJ Logistics, Seoul, 14 April 2016

SEA-LAND CONNECTIVITY:

REPUBLIC OF KOREA – ASEAN AND SOUTH ASIA

IN SHORT ….

Railway sections in poor condition

Dilapidated railway rolling stock

Ope

ratio

nal g

aps Railways interoperability

Infra

stru

ctur

e ga

ps

Multiple railway gauges

Road sections of Asian Highway Class III and below

Lack of modern inland logistics intermodal facilities

Stretches of non-electrified and single-tracked railway lines

Missing railway links

Ope

ratio

nal g

aps Railways interoperability

Mismatch in bilateral regulations for international road transport

Delays at border crossings due to infrastructure or procedures

high/inflexible tariffs

Thank you!

Edouard Chong

Economic Affairs Officer – Transport Division

chonge@un.org

mailto:chonge@un.org