Railway Operations during the COVID-19 Outbreak - Experiences from East Asia

As countries respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic by imposing social distancing and stay-at-home orders, the transport sector will be critical for controlling the disease and ensuring essential transport and logistic services are maintained. Countries will need to develop protocols and provide resources quickly to implement preventative measures to limit the spread of disease. Additionally, they will also need to ensure the continuity of transport and logistics services for essential workers and functions, such as food supply chain and medical services. In this context, learning from practical experience has never been more critical.

This special webinar series, Sustaining Transport Services in the COVID-19 Pandemic, will share hands-on experiences with task teams as well as government agencies and transport service providers from client countries, especially those who are more vulnerable facing these imminent challenges.

The sixth webinar of the series will focus on Essential Measures in the Railway Sector During the COVID-19 Outbreak. Railway officials and scholars from China, Korean, and Japan will present on the measures and policies they have taken in response to the epidemic, covering how to adjust passenger service operation in the peak and post-peak stages to control infection while providing services to the greatest extent; how to maintain domestic and international freight services; health measures during the operation; and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on traffic volume and income. We have also invited private sector representatives from Maersk to share their stories helping their customers during Covid-19 as a leading international logistics company. The panel speakers will discuss recommendations for government, regulators, transport planners, and transport operators as a way forward against COVID-19.

Keynote Presentations:

Mr. Wu Shiping, Deputy Director General, Labor and Public Health Department, China Railway. Presentation Title: “Measures Against COVID-19 in China Railway” (simultaneous interpretation)

Wu Shiping-China RW Skript.pdf

· Cho Chi Whan, Head, International Cooperation Department, Korea Railroad Corporation. Presentation Title: “Measures Against COVID-19 in KORAIL”

Cho Chin Whan-KORAIL.pdf

· Professor Yoshisugu Hayashi, Professor, Chubu University, Japan. Presentation Title: “How to fundamentally reform transport and living-work systems considering pandemics: Infection, Resilience, Quality of Life, and Mindset”

Yoshisugu Hayashi-Chubu University.pdf

· Mr. Kasper Krog, Global Product Manager, International Rail, Maersk. Presentation Title: “How Maersk helps customers during Covid-19”

Kasper Krog-Maersk.pdf