Needed: A proper border ports policy

When I was a child the Shiveekhuren and Gashuunsukait ports used to be open for 20 days in every quarter, and my parents, who went to work there, would bring for us all sorts of nice things when they came home for the break. I remember how we used to look forward to their return after the brief absence, not just because of what they brought in exchange for wool and cashmere but also because of the stories they told of the place, giving us an inkling of a kind of  life unknown to us. I begged them to take me along when they would go again but my mother was firm that it was too ugly a place for a child.

I recently had the opportunity to visit that “ugly” place on my own. It was a long but pleasant journey of over 900 km from Ulaanbaatar to Shiveekhuren port, along unpaved roads. Once there, I could see huge heavy duty trucks, loaded with coal, standing in line. There were sacks of sand all around and it seemed some construction work was to start soon. I could see only four buildings around me and learnt that a two-storeyed white house on the right side of the check post was where border soldiers stayed. D.Batbaatar, Government representative at the place, told me that three years ago there was no accommodation for the staff. A woman would have to find a suitable place to spend the night in her sleeping bag for the days she would be here on work. Now the building provides accommodation for the staff and also for those from the Professional Inspection Agency. Last year, coal exporting companies arranged for containers for their people to live and sleep in. These had heating and furniture, so were comfortable but they were always used by too many people.

Whatever the living conditions were, it was interesting to see that commerce was thriving, with Khan Bank, Capital Bank, Savings Bank, and Golomt Bank setting up branches. Their customers were mostly those who would cross the border into China or come back from there. It looked a bit chaotic inside the check point building and bank officials agreed it is not the appropriate place for their work, but there is no option. The banks arrange comfortable accommodation for their own employees.

When I asked if Ceke, the corresponding border post in China, was a better place than Shiveekhuren, the usual answer was that it was “not so different”, but if I went farther to Dalai Khov, a Chinese town about 70 km from Ceke, it would be a beautiful experience. It indeed was. There are many three-to-four-storeyed buildings, housing shops, restaurants and hotels on both sides of the road. They are painted in red, yellow and blue and the colour livens up the landscape. The sign boards are in Mongolian but they are full of spelling mistakes. These buildings have all come up in the last year or so. The road to Dalai Khov was wide, with many trees on the side. Winsway has installed a number of very tall nets, to prevent the spread of coal dust when the consignments from Mongolia are unloaded.

The check post itself was spacious, and has been recently renovated.  There were three-storey houses to accommodate the around 60 coal truck drivers. Each window had an air conditioner next to it. In contrast, on the Mongolian side both customs staff working for the state and truck drivers working for mining companies are packed three to four in a container. These are the people helping Mongolia make money from its resources and they certainly deserve to live in more comfortable conditions.

Nariinsukhait is the mine head, from which three companies -- Chinhua MAK, SouthGobi Sands and Mongoliin Alt -- haul coal to Shiveekhuren, 56 km away. All three use a paved road built by Chinhua MAK. The surface is wearing out and SGS will soon start work on a high-quality paved road conforming to international standards. The plan is to carry the coal on this road to be built and use the present paved road for the return trip when the trucks come empty to Nariinsukhait.  The SouthGobi Sands project is among the 180 listed under the Concession Law. 

Last year, 9.5 million tons of coal was exported through Shiveekhuren, while Gashuunskhukhait accounted for 8.1 million tons. With coal replacing copper as Mongolia’s main export and with sales set to rise considerably as present companies increase output and Erdenes-Tavan Tolgoi starts production, there should be a comprehensive policy on running border ports. It is essential to expand the capacity of the two ports in Umnugobi and improve their working conditions.

Infrastructure has to be considered first. The private sector is willing to build roads and help in other ways but the lack of a coordinated policy is holding things back. There will be chaos if companies lay roads for their own and exclusive use, and the Government should apportion responsibility and rights.

A spirit of confidence is in the air at Shiveekhuren. A sunbathed border guard whistles a patriotic song. The soldiers do not complain about their remote posting; instead they talk about their pride that they are serving the country as true citizens. The port staff also make light of their accommodation and living problems, though these are far from what they deserve. Our natural resources will one day be exhausted but a properly developed Shiveekhuren can act as a major trade town, affording access to Central Asia through Xinjian Uigur.

That is a dream we must realise. As of now, Shiveekhuren is not much changed from the “ugly” place it was at my parents’ time. Indeed, a visitor has to go to the Chinese side to have any food. The four buildings were like an oasis in the desert but I made a prayer that a properly executed policy would turn the place into a thriving centre with all amenities.