International Intermodality Aspects of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Transport Master Plan

Transcription

1 International Intermodality Aspects of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Transport Master Plan THE PURPOSE OF THIS FEATURE IS TO EXAMINE INTERMODAL ASPECTS OF THE BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TRANSPORT MASTER PLAN AND HOW THESE RELATE TO ISSUES OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE. BY JOHN E. THOMPSON, EDDY DECLERCQ AND KATSUHIDE NAGAYAMA INTRODUCTION The declaration of independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at the end of 1991 was quickly followed by an exhausting war that lasted three and one-half years. The war completely shattered the economy and left extensive human and physical devastation. Large-scale transport infrastructure damage occurred as a result of the hostilities. Transport links leading to or near confrontation lines suffered extensive damage; over 2,000 kilometers of the main road network were partially or totally destroyed, including more than 70 major bridges. Most railway lines were rendered inoperable, public transport facilities and vehicles were damaged or run down, and civilian aviation ceased to function. Transport institutions lost premises, records, staff, funds and, in many instances, were forcibly fragmented. The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina was initiated in Dayton on Nov. 21, 1995, and signed in Paris on Dec. 14, BiH now consists of two entities and, as of 2000, the Brcko Administrative District, the latter being under the authority of the Office of the High Representative. The two entities, each of which has its own governmental structure, are the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and the Republika Srpska (RS) or Serb Republic. Sarajevo serves as the national capital as well as the capital city of the FBiH, while Banja Luka serves as the capital city of RS. BiH is bordered on the north, west and south by the Republic of Croatia and on the east by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (see Figure 1). PURPOSE The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in cooperation with the Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, RS as well as the Ministry of Transport and Communications and FBiH created the Bosnia and Herzegovina Transport Master Plan (BiHTMAP). 2 Pacific Consultants International, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, was the designated lead consultant for the study, which was completed during mid A basic premise of all investigations is that the BiHTMAP shall be comprehensive in nature (i.e., address transport needs within each entity, between entities and between the country and her European neighbors). International cargo transport is a topical subject in this regard as accession to the European Union (EU) remains a pronounced goal of BiH. This feature, therefore, presents several subjects pertinent to international cargo activity (i.e., a review of current trucking permit practices; a synopsis of recent regional trade initiatives; intent of the Pan-European Corridors; and, as a conclusion, intermodality aspects of BiHTMAP and their role in an international context). PERMITS FOR TRUCK CARGO TRANSPORT At present, virtually all international cargo transported to/from BiH utilizes the road mode. The railway is still constrained by war damages, and rehabilitation efforts must be completed (Figure 2) before any semblance of prewar rail operations is reinstituted. Commendable progress is nevertheless being achieved, and commercial rail cargo can now be transported between BiH and Port Ploce, Croatia, located to the south of BiH on the Adri- 24 ITE JOURNAL / AUGUST 2002

2 atic Sea. The Sava River, which forms the northern BiH border with Croatia, also offers direct linkage to the Danube River (via Yugoslavia) but remains closed to commercial traffic within BiH due to war damage and the presence of unexploded ordinance. Ports along the Sava River remain inoperable due to war damages. Cargo volume at BiH s four international airports (Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar and Tuzla) is negligible in comparison to the road mode. Thus, the road mode has emerged as the most viable mode for the international transport of cargo at present; however, international carriage of cargo by BiH truckers is often subject to a complex series of rules, regulations and permits, as described in the following paragraphs. Procedures for truck cargo transport between BiH and neighboring countries as well as some other non-eu trading partners are typically (but not always) based on historical precedence and may not be overly restrictive. For example, no permits are required for truck trade with Albania, Croatia, Hungary, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey. Formal agreements with Yugoslavia did not, at time of study, exist; however, truck cargo transported between EU and non-eu countries such as BiH is subject to a permit system founded upon negotiated agreements. Thus, no definitive set of approaches exists uniformly for all non- EU countries. 3 The spirit and intent of the permit system are to maintain a balance between the EU truck transport sector and trucks of third countries operating within the EU. The main arguments underlying the permit system are related to environmental protection as well as the guarantee of free and fair competition. In the former case, permits ensure that third-country trucks meet EU rules and regulations pertaining to vehicle standards, vehicle emissions and operating capabilities. The second point relates to social issues. In EU countries, strict regulations are related to working times, remunerations, social charges, etc., which are not always applicable to third-country operators; thus, these companies tend to have a competitive edge as compared to EU companies. Therefore, the EU and its member states Figure 1. Bosnia and Herzegovina. 1 are very careful in issuing permits to non-eu operators for transporting cargo within EU countries. Two types of permits exist: bilateral and Conference of European Ministers of Transport (CEMT). In the case of bilateral permits, negotiated agreements are reached between various countries regarding the number of permits issued in any given year. The permits allow for balanced two-way carriage of cargo between signatory countries; for example, a given number of permits for BiH truckers to transport cargo between BiH and France must be balanced by an equivalent number of permits for French truckers to transport cargo between France and BiH. CEMT permits are much more liberal; they are not bilateral in nature and permit an unlimited number of annual cargo journeys, including cabotage, within the CEMT signatory group. The number of permits issued is strictly controlled by the signatory group; the total number allocated to individual non-eu countries varies but is typically modest given the understandable reluctance to issue carte blanche approvals for intra-eu cargo transport, which could benefit non-eu trucking operators to the potential detriment of EU operators. The BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications (central government) is responsible for the negotiation of bilateral permits. After arriving at an acceptable number of permits with foreign Samac Bridge Reconstruction Replacement of Catenary System Figure 2. Examples of remaining rail facility rehabilitation needs. governments, the ministry distributes permits to the Entity Ministries of Transport, who are in turn responsible for their eventual allocation to commercial operators. Year 2000 bilateral agreements reached with 14 countries encompassed 19,375 permits, with highest permit allocations being for Austria and Italy (Table 1). The CEMT baseline total for BiH is 120 annual permits, plus a temporary three-year annual allotment of 25 permits due to unique local post-war conditions. For calendar year 2000, the all-inclusive number of BiH CEMT permits was fixed at 251. ITE JOURNAL / AUGUST

3 Country Table 1. Bilateral permits for international transport of cargo by truck in Bosnia and Herzegovina in Number of permits Austria 5,875 Belgium 500 Czech Republic 1,000 Denmark 600 France 1,050 FYR Macedonia 300 Germany 2,000 Italy 4,850 Netherlands 500 Poland 500 Romania 500 Slovak Republic 1,000 Slovenia 200 Spain 500 Total 19,375 The permit system undoubtedly addresses environmental and social concerns within those countries requiring permits for the transport of truck cargo. However, from the BiH perspective, a number of concerns exist. First, negotiations and permit structuring are the responsibility of the central government, which is responsible for international matters under the framework of the Dayton Agreement. The bilateral process is repeated annually, separately with all relevant countries, thus placing a considerable strain upon the government s modest resources. Second, and again within the framework of the Dayton Agreement, transport is the responsibility of the two entities, yet opportunity for technical input to permit procedures is limited. Thus, the allocation of permits from the central government to the entities is based on a rather arbitrary approach: roughly two-thirds of bilateral permits are transferred to the FBiH and roughly one-third to RS. This allocation carries across all permit countries, regardless of historical trade practices or geographic locations. Third, the negotiation of permits is influenced by political issues, not economic need. Thus, even if a BiH operator has trucks compliant with EU standards (a costly proposition) and has arranged a trade contract, there is no guarantee that a permit will actually be available. A concern frequently voiced to the Study Team is that the absolute numbers of BiH bilateral permits are too small, particularly for major EU countries. It is noted that even if a permit is obtained, it is valid only for a single journey, and the recipient is responsible for all additional documentation such as visas for driver and attendant. Due to their very limited number, CEMT permits are considered as being practically unattainable by local operators. REGIONAL TRANSPORT INITIATIVES BiH is not an island, so knowledge of, sensitivity to and participation in regional transport initiatives is an important stepping stone toward closer trade activity with national neighbors and other parts of Europe. In a broader sense, regional integration, in both strategic and tactical terms, is identified as an important element along the path to EU membership. Central Europe lies astride the crossroads between Europe and Asia; six out of 10 multimodal transport corridors (refer to the following section for more details) service the region. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the breakup of the Yugoslav Federation has led to radical changes in the direction of traffic flows, disruptions along the transport corridors and the creation of new states. Performance of the border-control agencies has been unsatisfactory: traffic has been subject to long waiting times, raising the cost of transport services and making them unpredictable; customs revenue collection has fallen short; and it is understood that smuggling and corruption have become widespread. These deficiencies amount to bottlenecks to trade, with macroeconomic effects similar to those of protectionist trade polices; they undermine incentives to improve competitiveness; and deter foreign direct investment. 6 To address these problems, the EU has been advising Romania and Bulgaria on customs reform and computerization, as part of its pre-accession assistance, and Albania and Macedonia, as part of the approximation process. In BiH it has provided substantial direct operational support to build up the customs administrations after the war and likewise in Albania after the civil unrest of The Southeast European Cooperative Initiative established national committees to mobilize public and private sectors to simplify procedures and otherwise facilitate trade. In this connection, the governments of Albania, BiH, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia and Romania have each asked for external assistance to improve border-crossing facilities and operations. The border-crossing problem, by its nature, requires coordinated and mutually reinforcing action in many areas, including (a) physical improvements to border crossings; (b) technical assistance to strengthen the customs administrations; (c) computerization of procedures at the border crossings and electronic filing of customs declarations; and (d) improved exchange of information between the border-control agencies and the business community. Trucking throughout the region has begun to be privatized (including in BiH) with licensing practices in Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia being close to those in the EU. The trucking sector in those countries is mostly operated by small entrepreneurs with limited financial viability. Only a few international operators with long traditions in international markets exist. Further growth in the trucking sector will depend on access to international markets. The still protectionist bilateral permit system (refer to the previous section) and the difficulties in acquiring multiple entry visas for commercial drivers further constrain competitiveness. For example, Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia have negotiated agreements with the EU on relatively liberalized transit arrangements, but these do not provide for easier access to bilateral cargo permits. This can be explained by inherent differences among these two types of permits: a bilateral permit, as discussed in the previous section, authorizes the transport of cargo between two countries. However, as part of that journey, intermediate countries may require transit permits. Transit permits are also arranged on a negotiated basis, but are not implicitly linked with the bilateral permit negotiation process. Thus, if a transit procedure is involved as part of the journey, the truck is sealed at point of origin, and lading papers must be verified at all border crossings of intermediate (transit) countries. The truck can 26 ITE JOURNAL /AUGUST 2002

4 only be unsealed at the final destination and only in the presence of custom services of the destination country. PAN-EUROPEAN TRANSPORT CORRIDORS At the European Council meeting of December 1994 in Essen, Germany, it was decided to give priority to the implementation of 14 large Trans-European Network transport projects as an important part of the implementation of the commission s Common Transport Policy. 7 The Trans-European transport network should be established gradually by the year 2010, by integrating land, sea and air transport infrastructures. 8 Around 2010, it is expected that a far larger EU expanding eastwards will emerge (five countries in Eastern Europe, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Estonia, plus Cyprus, are currently negotiating the terms of their accession to the EU). The European Commission has long recognized the imperative of improving transport infrastructure between the Union and Central Europe and that there will not really be open borders and free movement of persons and goods unless the roads, railways, airports and ports in these countries are modernized. Therefore, the Pan-European Conferences in Crete in 1994 and Helsinki in 1997 started a global assessment of the candidate countries infrastructure needs, 9 calling for a continentwide European transport network that meets the needs of the 21st century. An action plan aimed at extending the Trans-European Network to the east via the establishment of a Pan-European Corridor Network includes: Identifying the Pan-European Corridors as a framework for ensuring efficient transport services with all EU neighbors; Preparation for extension of the Trans-European Network to applicant countries as part of the preaccession process; A common European approach to transport technology throughout the network; The encouragement of intelligent transport technologies; and Closer cooperation on research and technology. Figure 3. Major road and rail networks in Europe, including Pan-European corridors. Action is currently focused on 10 transport corridors in the central European region. So far, mainly for pragmatic reasons, the corridors have principally covered road, rail and, to a limited extent, waterways (the Danube River) (Figure 3). For BiH, Pan-European corridors of highest significance are north-south Corridor V, subsection c, which links Ploce (Croatia), Mostar, Sarajevo and Tuzla (BiH) and Budapest, Hungary; east-west Corridor X, which passes just north of BiH through Croatia along a Vienna (Austria), Belgrade (Yugoslavia) and Istanbul (Turkey) axis; and Corridor VII, the Danube River, which will become accessible once the Sava River within BiH is reopened to commercial traffic (refer to Figure 3). OVERVIEW OF THE MASTER PLAN The principal objectives of the BiHTMAP include: Formulate a phased BiHTMAP to target year 2020, which includes the road mode, road operators, railway mode, waterway mode, air mode as well as related managerial aspects, and which concurrently supports the social, economic and developmental evolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Conduct prefeasibility investigations of the most urgent high-priority projects; and Facilitate technology transfer in terms of transport planning techniques and methodologies to counterpart personnel. The components of the master plan must further diversify beyond the traditional hardware concepts associated with infrastructure provision. Additional key elements of the process consist of: Software aspects, that is, available technology, international (EU) standards and multimodal integration needs (terminals and transfer points); and Humanware needs, or the cultivation of human resources via the designation of training and education programs as well as other requirements for developing expertise. Thus, strategies for enhanced operation and management of transport systems, infrastructure and the operation thereof are addressed within BiHTMAP. It is also noted that data pertaining to existing conditions were by and large lacking or fragmented. Thus, considerable efforts were expended by the Study Team in defining a year 2000 database covering all of BiH for the first time since the end of the war. Several surveys were performed, including a countrywide traffic counting program and roadside origin-destination interview survey. This ITE JOURNAL / AUGUST

5 Table 2. Proposed BiHTMAP transport infrastructure investment program. Amount by sector (Million constant year 2000 Konvertibilna Marka) Inland Period Road Railways Air waterway Total Near term 2, ,777.6 Medium term 1, ,460.7 Long term 3, , ,243.4 Total 7, , ,481.7 Table 3. Modal shares of freight transport in BiH. Mode (percent of tonne-km) Inland Year Road Railways waterway Other Total proved to be a particularly necessary exercise as very little information existed for road-based passenger and cargo transport. In summary, 86 points were surveyed, 62 of which included both traffic count (24 hours) and roadside interview (12 hours) surveys. Sixteen-hour traffic counts were collected at remaining locations. All traffic counts were stratified by hour, direction and 10 vehicle types. The roadside origin-destination program queried major items such as trip origin, trip destination, number of passengers, trip purpose and, in case of trucks, type and amount of commodities carried. On a composite BiH-wide basis, some 35 percent of passing traffic was surveyed resulting in a data pool of roughly 90,000 interviews. The BiHTMAP guides transport strategies and investments required over a 20-year horizon through year These two decades are divided into three phases; namely, short, medium and long term. During the short-term phase (first five years), all efforts should be concentrated on completing the recovery from war damages and restoring the prewar status quo. During the medium-term phase (second five years), economic development emphasis should shift towards restructuring of the economic and industrial base to achieve more market-responsive and value-added performance. During the long-term phase (second decade) the BiH economy is expected to enter an expansion period while achieving stable economic growth. This last phase can be regarded as a challenging period for BiH in preparing for a significant role as part of the integrated European economy. The total investment in transport infrastructure over the 20-year planning horizon is estimated at around 9,480 million constant year 2000 Konvertibilna Marka (KM) (at the time of study, KM1.00 = EU0.51 = US$0.43). These needs are allocated to the road mode (7,230.3 million KM), rail mode (2,000.0 million KM), air mode (185.7 million KM) and inland waterway mode (65.5 million KM) (Table 2). However, a caveat is noted. The indicated infrastructure investment is that foreseen as coming from public coffers and excludes various private-sector investment mechanisms. Thus, in the case of the road mode, nearly all financing is expected to come from public sources (the 7,230.3 million KM outlay includes some 31 percent for maintenance, 25 percent for rehabilitation and the remainder capital projects). However, in case of the air and inland waterway modes, considerable private-sector investment is anticipated in addition to indicated public funds. Finally, the order-of-magnitude 2,000.0 million KM rail share does not include the considerable funds that have recently been committed from other donors and funding agencies for the ongoing reconstruction of the railway network. INTERMODAL ASPECTS OF THE MASTER PLAN The development of intermodal and combined transport in BiH is not bound to certain transport modes. It is a trading and mobility issue in which rail, water, air and road are called upon to contribute to the optimization of the whole, where they operate new services, and how they use information and communications technologies to improve as well as optimize the utilization of the existing infrastructure capacity. Although intermodality is not about a specific modal split, improving the connections between all modes of transport and integrating them into a single system will allow a better use of road, rail, river transport and coastal shipping. The Study Team, based on the different sector plans, envisaged the modal share structure for freight and passenger traffic in the future. The modal splits are depicted in Table 3. The year 1990 modal split reflects the role of centralized economic planning, as well as the spatial and functional allocations of BiH industry within the former Yugoslavia. Yet even under those conditions, some 60 percent of tonne-kilometers moved via truck. The road mode dominates year 2000 cargo transport for reasons previously noted. In 2010, in concert with continuing rehabilitation of the railway system, the share of railway cargo transport is expected to rise to some 12 percent. In 2020, it can be assumed that the share of railway will strengthen to about 29 percent but that the road mode will still function as the dominant sector. At first inspection, the 2020 share of railway may seem high compared to historic experiences of other European countries; however, it is considered achievable, taking into account that most industrial and manufacturing activities in BiH are located within railway catchments. The 28 ITE JOURNAL /AUGUST 2002

6 roadside traffic interview survey conducted by the Study Team during year 2000 revealed, for example, that out of all commodities being transported, about 40 to 50 percent were bulk goods such as solid minerals, petroleum products, ores, metal waste, crude minerals and building materials, for which railway transport can be functionally advantageous. The improved safety and environmental benefits of rail transport were also considered as part of the modal allocation process. Rail and intermodal transport involving rail are receiving increasing prominence in Europe as road and air corridors continue to experience increasing congestion. The importance of the rail mode is seen in the infrastructure programs of various EU member states and is particularly evident in terms of cargo movements between Italy and other members of the EU, most of which pass through Switzerland. Limitations now exist on truck traffic along Swiss alpine routes with underlying concerns being purely environmental in nature. It may well be expected that truck transit traffic could be completely banned from roads within certain alpine corridors and that cargo will need to move via combined transport systems (truck on train) in the near future. Italian, Swiss and Austrian railways, under the auspices of the Union Internationale de Chemins de Fer, are already extensively cooperating in the development and enhancement of railbased alpine traffic. The intermodal aspects of the BiHTMAP (Figure 4) integrate a number of domestic and international considerations, among them: Modal (road, rail, air and inland waterway) improvement plans for BiH developed, in the first instance, on a sectorial basis; Near-term cargo distribution opportunities via designated international (E or European) highways and BiHTMAP main highways; Evolution of the BiH sociodemographic fabric reflecting postwar realities and transition to a marketoriented economic structure; The Pan-European Network and other traditional corridors such as the Adriatic Coastal Corridor serving the Figure 4. Schematic of Intermodal BiHTMAP Transport Network. Adriatic coast and its major cities (Split, Dubrovnik and Port Ploce); Transport strategies of neighboring countries (Croatia and Yugoslavia) to include political considerations such as designated border crossings; and Historical and traditional links between the various peoples of the region. The intermodal core links infrastructures within three key subsystems (refer to Figure 4): The Corridor Vc subsystem can be described as the strategic backbone. Its alignment coincides with Pan- European Corridor Vc, which links major cities in BiH with Port Ploce, Croatia (coastal shipping) and Budapest, Hungary. Direct interchange is also provided with the BiHTMAP Sava River subsystem as well as with Pan-European Corridor X (the Vienna-Belgrade axis) just to the north of BiH and Adriatic Coastal Corridor just south of BiH, both being in Croatia. Combined transport (road and rail) terminals are proposed in Doboj, Zenica, Sarajevo (the national and FBiH capital) and Mostar. The Sava River subsystem, including three major intermodal (road, rail and inland waterway) transport terminals, notably the ports of Brcko, Samac and, if economic development demands, the port of Gradiska. The Sava River subsystem will eventually provide a direct connection to Pan-European Corridor VII (the Danube River) via Yugoslavia. The Banja Luka-Gradiska subsystem services western BiH and intersects the BiHTMAP Sava River subsystem, Pan-European Corridor X and the Adriatic Coastal Corridor. A combined transport terminal is designated at Banja Luka, capital city of RS. Thus, from an international perspective, the BiH intermodal subsystems effectively link domestic infrastructure with three Pan-European transport corridors plus other major transport facilities. This focus is vital from an international cargo transport perspective and serves as an important stepping stone toward the eventual accession of BiH to the EU. In the context of the intermodal development plan, additional recommendations were formulated for institutional change and human resources expertise development. Both were considered as key success factors for the establishment of a sustainable intermodal transport system in BiH. Institutional reform was considered ITE JOURNAL / AUGUST

7 essential for the future integration of BiH in the international transport environment. During the study, the lack of expertise at all private and public levels within BiH became abundantly clear. Therefore, the urgent development of a national Transport Training Institute was proposed as a priority project. The objective of this institute is to develop expertise both at the level of transport operations and of transport management. In addition to the diversification of training courses, the objective of the Transport Training Institute is to develop a system that in time becomes self reliant, independent from foreign donors. This can be achieved through the creation of dedicated courses, funded by private funds and alliance(s) or with one or more foreign training institutes that could (financially) participate in the Transport Training Institute. CONCLUSION A basic premise of all investigations is that the BiHTMAP must be comprehensive in nature, meaning it addresses both transport needs within BiH and between the country and her European neighbors. The transport strategy embedded in the BiHTMAP must concurrently contribute to an efficient economic structure of the country, strengthen trade relations with national neighbors and other areas of Europe, and provide a base for marketoriented transport activity. Therefore, it is an important goal to formulate an intermodal transport system for all of BiH whose functionality extends beyond BiH to her Balkan neighbors, as well as other parts of Europe, and that will ultimately support BiH in becoming a member of the European Union. References 1. Developed by Study Team using geographic information system references developed by the International Management Group. 2. Various reports were released during the course of BiHTMAP culminating in Final Report The Study on the Transport Master Plan in Bosnia and Herzegovina, prepared for the JICA, Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications (BiH), Ministry of Transport and Communications (FBiH) and Ministry of Transport and Communications (RS), by Pacific Consultants International, March The approach is somewhat different in the case of accession countries, which are actively being considered for EU membership (BiH is not an accession country at present). If accession countries are to become full members of the EU, they must align their national laws, rules and procedures to the entire body of community legislation (Acquis Communautaire) until relevant EU law is fully incorporated into their national legal systems. Rules and regulations relating to transport are set forth in a subset termed the Transport Acquis Study Team based on DG Transport Guide to the Transport Acquis. Directorate General for Transport, The European Commission, October Derived by Study Team based on data made available by the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications. 6. Study Team based on The Road to Stability and Prosperity in South Eastern Europe A Regional Strategy Paper. The World Bank, Europe and Central Asia Region, March Study Team based on White Paper: European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide. The European Commission, Brussels, Belgium; COM (2001) 370; Sept. 12, 2001, revision of Common Transport Policy, The European Commission, COM (1992) 494; COM (1995) 302; and COM (1998) Study Team based on Community Guidelines for the Development of the Trans-European Transport Network. Decision 1692/96/EC of the European Parliament and Council, July 23, 1996 (presently under revision). 9. Study Team based on Transport Infrastructure Needs Assessment (TINA). The European Commission, October JOHN E. THOMPSON, P.E., is a Senior Engineer with Pacific Consultants International, Tokyo, Japan, with whom he holds worldwide responsibilities for multimodal transport planning and engineering projects. He has some 30 years of experience derived via diverse projects in the United States, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Asia and Oceania. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri Rolla and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the United States and Australia. Thompson is a Member of ITE. EDDY DECLERCQ is Managing Director of the Centre for Intermodal Research and Director of the Strategic and Economic Research Corp., both located in Belgium. Declercq specializes in investigations involving the strategic and qualitative analysis of transport, intermodal operations and alternative financing methodologies. In his career, he has conducted some 40 reviews in various fields of transport and development, either individually, as a full member of a consortium, or as subcontractor for multinational research and development companies. KATSUHIDE NAGAYAMA is General Manager of the Planning Division and a member of the Board of Directors of Pacific Consultants International, Tokyo, Japan. He holds a bachelor s degree in Architecture, master s degree in Urban Planning and Ph.D. in Urban Economics. Nagayama has long participated in developmental work in emerging countries via ODA programs sponsored by the Government of Japan and other international donors. His experience, derived in more than 30 countries, covers policy and strategy building, master planning and feasibility studies at the urban, regional and national levels in the economic, transportation, infrastructure, environmental and socioeconomic sectors. 30 ITE JOURNAL /AUGUST 2002