RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/NGMTS/W/7
18July 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-2080)
Original: English Negotiating Group onMaritime Transport Services
COMMUNICATION FROM AUSTRALIA
Conditional Offer onMaritime Transport Services
The following communication iscirculated attherequest ofAustralia tomembers ofthe
Negotiating Group onMaritime Transport Services.
_____________
Australia hereby submits itsdraft offer onmaritime transport services totheNegotiating Group
onMaritime Transport Services. Theoffer isconditional upon satisfactory initial commitments being
received from other negotiating partners.
TheAustralian Government reserves theright towithdraw, modify orreduce thisoffer, in
whole orinpart, atanytime onorbefore 30June 1996 ifsatisfactory offers arenotmade byAustralia 's
negotiating partners.
Australia further reserves theright tomake technical amendments andcorrections totheoffer.S/NGMTS/W/7
Page 3Modes ofsupply 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Maritime transport services Thefollowing services atthe
port aremade available to
international maritime transport
suppliers onreasonable andnon-
discriminatory terms and
conditions: pilotage, towing and
tugassistance; provisioning,
fuelling andwatering; garbage
collection andballast waste
disposal; Port Captain 'sservices;
navigation aids; shore-based
operational services essential to
ship operations, including
communications water and
electrical supplies; emergency
repair facilities; anchorage, berth
andberthing services.S/NGMTS/W/7
Page 4Modes ofsupply 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
International transport
(freight andpassengers)
(7211 and7212 less
cabotage andoffshore
transport -asdefined in
attachment A)1)a)Liner shipping: Part XoftheTrade
Practices Act1974 requires thatevery
ocean carrier who provides international
liner cargo shipping services toorfrom
Australia shall, atalltimes, berepresented
forthepurposes oftheAct, byaperson
who isanindividual resident inAustralia;
hasbeen appointed bytheocean carrier as
theocean carrier 'sagent forthepurposes
oftheAct; andisspecified intheregister
ofocean carrier agents astheocean
carrier 'sagent.1)a)Part XoftheTrade Practices Act
1974 allows Australian flagoperators to
apply totheTrade Practices
Commission toexamine whether
conference members andnon-
conference operators with substantial
market power arehindering Australian
flagshipping operators from engaging
efficiently intheprovision ofoutward
liner cargo services toanextent which
isreasonableSeeNote toSchedule
1)b)Bulk, tramp andother international
shipping, including passenger
transportation: None1)b)None
2)None 2)None
3)a)Establishment ofaregistered
company forthepurpose ofoperating a
fleet under thenational flagofAustralia:
nationality requirements forownership and
registration ofvessels asdefined bythe
Shipping Registration Act1981.3)a)UnboundS/NGMTS/W/7
Page 5Modes ofsupply 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
3)b)Other forms ofcommercial presence
forthesupply ofinternational maritime
transport services (asdescribed in
Attachment A):None3)b)None SeeNote toSchedule
4)a)Ships crews: Unbound except as
indicated inthehorizontal section4)a)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
4)b)Keyshore personnel: Unbound
except asindicated inthehorizontal
section4)b)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
International rental of
vessels with crew (less
cabotage andoffshore
transport -asdefined in
Attachment A)1)None 1)None
2)None 2)None
3)None 3)NoneS/NGMTS/W/7
Page 6Modes ofsupply 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
Maritime auxiliary services
Maritime cargo handling
services (asdescribed in
Attachment A)1)Unbound* except for-nolimitation on
transhipment (board-to-board orviathe
quay)1)Unbound* except for-nolimitation
ontranshipment (board-to-board orvia
thequay)
2)None 2)None
3)Licences/concessions aregranted byport
authorities onthebasis ofaneconomic
means test***3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section. Inaddition there isa
requirement forshore labour toundertake
loading andunloading ofships under the
Navigation Act19124)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section. Inaddition there isa
requirement forshore labour to
undertake loading andunloading ofships
under theNavigation Act1912
*Unbound duetolack oftechnical feasibility
***Public utility concession orlicensing procedures may apply inthecase oftheoccupation ofthepublic domain fortheconduct ofthese activities.S/NGMTS/W/7
Page 7Modes ofsupply 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Storage andwarehousing
services
(742)1)Unbound* 1)Unbound*
2)None 2)None
3)None 3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
Maritime freight forwarding
services (asdescribed in
Attachment A)1)None 1)None SeeNote toSchedule
2)None 2)None
3)None 3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
*Unbound duetolack oftechnical feasibilityS/NGMTS/W/7
Page 8Modes ofsupply 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Customs clearance services
(asdescribed inAttachment
A)1)Unbound* 1)Unbound*
2)None 2)None
3)None 3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
Preshipment inspection (as
defined inattachment A)1)None 1)None
2)None 2)None
3)None 3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
*Unbound duetolack oftechnical feasibilityS/NGMTS/W/7
Page 9Modes ofsupply 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Maritime agency services (as
described inAttachment A)1)None 1)None SeeNote toSchedule
2)None 2)None
3)None 3)None
4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section4)Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal sectionS/NGMTS/W/7
Page 10
Attachment A
NOTE TOSCHEDULE
Where road, rail, inland waterways andauxiliary services arenototherwise fully covered in
thisschedule, amultimodal transport operator (asdefined inDefinition 2below) shall have theability
torentorlease trucks, railway carriages orbarges andrelated equipment forthepurposes ofinland
forwarding ofcargoes, ortohave access to,anduseof,these forms ofmultimodal activities on
reasonable andnon-discriminatory terms andconditions forthepurpose ofcarrying outmultimodal
transport operations.
Forthepurposes ofthisschedule, "reasonable andnon-discriminatory terms andconditions"
means, forthepurposes ofmultimodal transport operations, theability ofthemultimodal transport
operator toarrange fortheconveyance ofitsmerchandise onatimely basis, including priority over
other merchandise which hasentered theport atalater date.
DEFINITIONS
1. Cabotage: forthepurposes ofthisschedule only, cabotage isdescribed asthetransportation
ofpassengers orgoods between aportlocated inAustralia andanother portlocated inAustralia
andtraffic originating andterminating inthesame port located inAustralia.
Offshore Transport refers toshipping services involving thetransportation ofpassengers or
goods between aport located inAustralia andanylocation associated with orincidental to,
theexploration orexploitation ofnatural resources ofthecontinental shelf ofAustralia, the
seabed oftheAustralian coastal seaandthesubsoil ofthatseabed.
2. Multimodal Transport Operator: theperson onwhose behalf thebilloflading/multimodal
transport document, oranyother document evidencing acontract ofmultimodal carriage of
goods, isissued andwho isresponsible forthecarriage ofgoods pursuant tothecontract of
carriage.
3. Other Forms ofCommercial Presence fortheSupply ofInternational Transport Services:
forthepurposes ofthisSchedule, means theability forinternational transport service suppliers
ofother Members toundertake locally allactivities which arenecessary forthesupply totheir
customers ofapartially orfully integrated transport service, within which themaritime transport
constitutes asubstantial element. This commitment shall notbeconstrued aslimiting inany
manner thecommitments undertaken under thecross-border mode ofdelivery.
These activities include:
- marketing andsales ofmaritime transport andrelated services through direct contact
with customers, from quotation toinvoicing, these services being those operated or
offered bytheservice supplier itself orbyservice suppliers with which theservice
seller hasestablished standing business arrangements;
- theacquisition, ontheir own account oronbehalf oftheir customers (and theresale
totheir customers) ofanytransport andrelated services, including inward transport
services byanymode, particularly inland waterways, road andrail,necessary forthe
supply oftheintegrated service;S/NGMTS /W/7
Page 11
- thepreparation ofdocumentation concerning transport documents, customs documents,
orother documents related totheorigin andcharacter ofthegoods transported;
- theprovisionofbusinessinformationbyanymeans,includingcomputerisedinformation
systems andelectronic data exchange (subject totheprovisions oftheAnnex on
Telecommunications);
- thesetting upofanybusiness arrangements (including participation inthestock of
acompany) andtheappointment ofpersonnel recruited locally (or,inthecaseofforeign
personnel, subject tothehorizontal commitment onmovement ofpersonnel) with any
locally established shipping agency.
- acting onbehalf ofthecompanies, organising thecalloftheshiportaking over cargoes
when required.
4. International Rental ofVessels with Crew: rental and/or leasing services ofalltypes of
seagoing vessels with crew (such astankers, bulk drycargo vessels, cargo andfreight vessels)
forthepurpose ofinternational trade.
5. Maritime Cargo Handling Services: activities exercised bystevedore companies, including
terminal operators, butnotincluding thedirect activities ofdockers, when thisworkforce is
organised independently ofthestevedoring orterminal operator companies. Theactivities
covered include theorganisation andsupervision of:theloading/discharging ofcargo to/from
aship; thelashing/unlashing ofcargo; and, thereception/delivery andsafekeeping ofcargoes
inthewharf area before shipment orafter discharge.
Theorganisation andsupervision includes thearrangements for(1)engaging skilled labour
(dockers), (2)using allthenecessary equipment foron-board orshore useandtheappropriate
storage space, whether byownership, rental orotherwise, (3)thechecking ofparcels and
markings, theweighing andmeasuring ofcargo (upon request oftheowner), and(4)the
administrative duties aswell astheresponsibility related totheservices.
Container terminal operators canfurthermore beappointed forstuffing/stripping containers
and, e.g.thesurvey andsupply ofelectricity tocontainers.
6. MaritimeFreightForwardingServices:theorganisationandmonitoringofshipmentoperations
onbehalf ofshippers, through theacquisition oftransport andrelated services, preparation
ofdocumentation andprovision ofbusiness information.
7. Customs Clearance Services: activities consisting incarrying outonbehalf ofanother party
customs formalities concerning import, export orthrough transport ofcargoes, whether this
isthemain activity oftheservice provider orausual complement ofitsmain activity.
8. Preshipment Inspection: allservices performed onafeeorcontract basis involved inthe
verification ofquality, quantity, price (including currency exchange rateandfinancial terms),
and/or thecustoms classification ofgoods tobeexported. Does notinclude customs or
quarantine inspection.S/NGMTS/W/7
Page 12
9. Maritime Agency Services :activities consisting inrepresenting, within agiven geographic
area, asanagent, thebusiness interests ofoneormore shipping lineorshipping companies,
forthefollowing purposes:
- marketing andsales ofmaritime transport andrelated services, from quotation to
invoicing, andissuance ofbills oflading onbehalf ofthecompanies; acquisition and
resale ofthenecessary related services, preparation ofdocumentation, andprovision
ofbusiness information;
- acting onbehalf ofthecompanies organising thecalloftheshiportaking over cargoes
when required.