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In its most basic sense, an integrated economy is one in which all its constituent partsare connected to one another.By that modest standard,the ASEAN economy is stillfragmented both betweenand even within each of itsmember countries, as thereare still many regions virtuallyunconnected with each other.Transportation costs are stillone of the most forbiddingfactors halting ASEAN intobecoming an extensivelyintegrated economiccommunity and is thereforeobstructing the region fromreaching the vast economicpotential of its 600 millionstrong population. Because a majority of alltrading between nations isdone through the sea (and agood deal of trade is done through inland waterways),it is readily apparent thata robust maritime logisticssector is a prerequisiteto releasing ASEAN’s stilllatent economic promise.Although the governmentsof ASEAN Member Stateshave taken great strides inimproving its infrastructureand modernizing theirmaritime logistics apparatus,businesses -both domesticand foreign- will find thatthere are still many unrealized opportunities in ASEAN’ssea transportation, seaportdevelopment, shipyard, andship maintenance industries,-among others- that have yet to be realized. The publication of this Guidebook is part of the largerproject that aims to familiarisebusiness actors from withinand beyond ASEAN aboutbusiness opportunities andchallenges deriving from thefull implementation of the AEC.Specific to this Guidebook,this publication is specificallyintended to encourage greaterinvestment to be made intothe region’s maritime logisticsand private sector bodies ororganisations. Whilst it is theintention of the authors topresent the information in theGuidebook as uniformed aspossible, available informationfrom some countries maydiffer from those availablein others. Notwithstandingsuch challenges, the authorsacknowledge the increasingtransparency across ASEANthat made the completion ofthis project possible.sector by businesses fromboth within and beyondASEAN, especially thosefrom Europe. Aside from theofficial websites of ASEANMember States’ relevantagencies, the informationpresented in this Guidebookis also based on availableinformation from crediblesources from internationalorganisations (e.g. WorldTrade Organisation,International Trade Centre,the World Bank, and so on) |
