The 12th Asia-Pacific Management Committee and the 16th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly of the International Union of Railways (UIC) were held from 25 – 26 November 2013 in Sydney, Australia, under the chairmanship of Mr Satoshi Seino, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific region, Chairman of East Japan Railway Company (EJRC), Mr Gombosuren Sereenendorj, Vice-Chairman of the Asia-Pacific region and Chairman of UBTZ, Mr Bob Scheuber, host of the region and Chairman of CRC for Rail Innovation (Australia), and Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, Director General of UIC, under the coordination of Mr Vincent Vu, Director at UIC in charge of the Asia-Pacific region.
This meeting of the Regional Assembly for Asia-Pacific marked a key milestone in the development of the region with the implementation of the financing for 2014 of the 2013-2016 strategic action plan, for which members of the region agreed on a set of ambitious projects to be jointly undertaken within a tightly controlled budget. The 2013 studies on energy savings in railway stations, depots and railway facilities as well as tracking rail traffic with satellites were officially approved in order to be made available to members.
In addition to the summary of actions concerning training and seminars held in 2013, preparations of the forthcoming workshops on the Management of Natural Disasters in Taipei in May 2014 and on Central Command Systems in Tokyo in October 2014 were officially launched.
The studies on increasing speed, adjusting drivers’ cabs to drivers’ physiological needs, optimising railway sleepers and training will also be part of the programme of the large number of activities to be conducted in the UIC Asia-Pacific region in 2014.
Over 50 representatives from the UIC Asian member countries were present in Sydney, which made this edition one of the most participatory. The meeting was held in Australia in conjunction with the World Congress on Railway Research – WCRR 2013 – co-organised by UIC, and the International Railway Research Board (IRRB). The meeting also served as opportunity for UIC to show its commitment and propose specific actions to be closer to its members and the various railway stakeholders in this region. The next meetings are scheduled to take place in Taipei.
