Carriage, Handling and Storage of Dangerous Goods along

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
RECOMMENDATIONS (VOLUME II)
Inland navigation can contribute to making transport more sustainable, particularly when it substitutes
for road transport. But inland shipping can also have considerable environmental impacts. Concerns
in the Mekong River include water pollution from shipping accidents, disposal of waste and wastewater
from vessels as well as the overall operations of vessels, ports, ferry crossings, refuelling stations and
petroleum terminals along with the carriage, handling and storage of dangerous goods.
In December 2010, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Navigation Programme (NAP) began the
Phase 1 project, Risk Analysis of the Carriage, Handling and Storage of Dangerous Goods. The project
is part of the MRC Navigation Strategy and Programme Component 3 (Traffic Safety and Environmental
Sustainability) which aims to improve safety, environmental protection and pollution control.
The Risk Analysis, which forms Volume I of this publication, provided a detailed analysis of the current
situation of the transport of dangerous goods in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam. For each
of the MRC Member Countries, it detailed priority areas for improvement in relation to ports/terminals,
vessels, waterways, legal frameworks and the environment. The Risk Analysis was a significant body of
work with National Working Groups collecting data and international experts building capacity through
training in risk management and the risks associated with the transport of dangerous goods.
Major findings of the Risk Analysis include that inland waterborne transport and the transport of
dangerous goods are most developed in Cambodia and Viet Nam, the Lower Mekong countries in
terms of navigation. In the Mekong Delta in Viet Nam, a number of petroleum terminals, refuelling
stations and tankers are operating. In the Upper Mekong, exports of petroleum products from Thailand
to the People’s Republic of China and Myanmar are increasing. Ferry crossings are also used to carry
dangerous goods between Thailand and Lao PDR with basic refuelling facilities located along the
Mekong River.
The Risk Analysis also found that a number of ports and petroleum terminals in the MRC Member
Countries do not have effective emergency response planning for fire, explosion and pollution
incidents. At the same time, the existing legal framework needs to be reviewed and strengthened for
the carriage of dangerous goods. Maintenance and management are limited at some ports, terminals
and vessels. Public information and awareness related to dangerous goods, environmental protection
and waste management need to be enhanced in all Member Countries.
This document, Volume II, determines strategic recommendations for improving the transport of
dangerous goods in relation to the five components of the Risk Analysis. The recommendations
contained in this volume are considered very high and high priority areas in all Member Countries.
The recommendations for ports and terminals (Chapter 2) and vessels (Chapter 3) are for the
management and operations of ports, terminals and vessels in the Member Countries and the
national line agencies responsible for compliance and enforcement. These recommendations
provide guidance on technical/management and training/institutional capacity to address the very
high and high priority areas determined in Volume I. The chapters also provide important strategic
recommendations for improving the transport of dangerous goods at the regional and national level to
ensure further monitoring and compliance of ports, terminals and vessel operations.