Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2015)

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Foreign Aid Done Right ecently the U.S. Trade and De- the throngs of humanity assaulting you the African plain. And, the money came velopment Agency (USTDA) at the border checkpoint. Safely in the with no strings attached. The Zambians

Rawarded a grant to the Pana- car, departure graft paid, ? nally, we set then promptly awarded the construction ma Canal Authority (ACP) to support off in our modest little van with our contract to others, and after hemming the planning of a lique? ed natural gas driver. The road soon turned to gravel, and hawing for a bit, they began play- (LNG) import terminal. According to then dirt and then; a full scale construc- ing in the dirt. I honestly don’t know both ACP and USTDA, when the Pan- tion project. Something the current U.S. how long they had been at it before we ama Canal expansion project is com- Administration would probably deem got there or if it has ever been ? nished, pleted next year, the Canal is expected “shovel ready.” but it was, without a doubt, the de? ni-

Joseph Keefe is the lead to handle signi? cant LNG tanker traf? c. This did not prevent our driver from tion of the proverbial train wreck. The commentator of

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Naturally, ACP is interested in develop- revving it up to 105 KPH at odd intervals. locals even had a slang word for the con- ing LNG-related infrastructure projects The pounding and the dust were relent- tractor which became common lexicon plained the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of the grant, to support that possibility, including an less. You had to choose between the op- (read: profanity) in the region, closely why it was a good thing, and beyond import terminal. pressive heat, and an open window that approximating anything which wasn’t that, the protections built into the system

I viewed the news of this “grant” came with a good meal of African dust. quite right. Circling back to the U.S. to ensure that the money does the maxi- partnership (initially) with some sus- The entire trip took more than 10 hours, Embassy, they apparently got tired of not mum amount of good, to the ultimate picion and wondered why the United complete with a black market exchange getting credit for having sponsored the bene? t of the U.S. taxpayer.

States government would spend money of currency along the way (so that we project. Hence; the billboard. I told my In a nutshell, the USTDA-funded – $878,000 in this case – in a foreign could purchase warm soft drinks) and of wife later, “I think I would’ve just kept feasibility study will help the ACP set country that is perfectly well supported course, there was the collision with the quiet about it.” strategic priorities and plan projects re- to do something of this magnitude on its chicken who, sadly, “crossed the road” It didn’t have to be that way, our host lated to LNG infrastructure and natural own. After all, we’ve got a nascent LNG to get to the other side, at precisely the explained further. Another project, this gas utilization at the Panama Canal. The economy on our side of the pond that wrong moment. one sponsored by the Japanese govern- LNG terminal is anticipated to support could probably use a kick in the pants, as Intended to be a dual carriage, divided ment, had been an overwhelming suc- the implementation of maritime- and en- well. It turns out that there are very good super highway, the project was mired cess. It involved drilling wells for the ergy-related projects that will accommo- reasons for the partnership and that, for in red tape, bad planning and just about small hamlets that dotted the country- date increased shipping traf? c through once, the funds come with requirements every crooked thing that can and does side in this sometimes water-parched the expanded Canal. At some point, that bene? t all parties – especially U.S. happen on the dark Continent. Merci- country. that’s expected to include LNG emanat- maritime and energy interests. To be fully and ? nally just outside of Lusaka, The Japanese arrived in country with ing from myriad U.S. ports. And, here’s sure, it hasn’t always been that way. Let on the escarpment to the right of the ve- a full complement of their people, some the good part: the money has to be spent me explain: hicle, it all ? nally came into clear focus. very expensive mobile drilling equip- on a U.S.-based company – who will win

The billboard proclaimed proudly, “This ment, and simply set to work. And in the bid through a competitive process.

Foreign Aid 101: road has been paid for, and is made pos- no time at all, traveling town to town, The opportunity to conduct the UST-

In the Fall of 1993, my wife and I trav- sible through the benevolence of the they had drilled myriad wells and liter- DA-funded feasibility study will be eled to Africa for vacation, one which people of the United States of America.” ally changed the lives of thousands of competed through Federal Business Op- came complete with a canoe safari down I couldn’t possibly make this up. And, people. No longer did local residents portunities (FBO). A link to the FBO an- the Zambezi River and a much rougher upon reading the text for the third time, I have to walk twenty miles to ? nd wa- nouncement will be posted to USTDA’s walking adventure in the back country of was steaming. ter, or worse, wait for the truck to arrive website at www.ustda.gov. Interested

Zambia. The three-week trip included a The Lodge in Lusaka was heaven. for a handout. But, no good deed goes U.S. ? rms can submit proposals ac- brief stop in South Africa and longer vis- Once checked in, I spent a good half hour unpunished. Local Chieftains wanted a cording the instructions in the FBO an- its to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. rinsing off all the dust with gobs of hot piece of the action and besides, the well nouncement.

Midway through the trip, we stopped in water and then wandered down to the bar folks were making them look bad. They The U.S. Trade and Development

Victoria Falls, where we spent the night to wash the dust out of something else. demanded a fee from the well drillers. Agency helps companies create U.S. and awaited transport to Lusaka, Zam- The host greeted me warmly, poured me The Japanese government got wind of it jobs through the export of U.S. goods bia. Victoria Falls is simply spectacular. a cold one, and made the mistake of ask- and said “no.” The local leaders in turn and services for priority development

I’m also sad to report that it is the moth- ing me how our trip had gone. barred them from going any further with projects in emerging economies. UST- er-of-all-tourist-traps. In 1993, ? ights I immediately gave him my unvar- the good will. The Japanese then sim- DA links U.S. businesses to export op- in and out came at roughly two day in- nished opinion. He just shook his head ply smiled, donated the equipment (no portunities by funding project planning tervals to key destinations and we were and replied, “You Americans just don’t small loss), got on the next plane and activities, pilot projects, and reverse told that the local economy demanded it. know how to do ‘foreign aid,’ do you?” went home. The local Chieftains? They trade missions while creating sustain-

And, having been warned by our travel I stewed, but for once in my life, said had broken the drill within two weeks. It able infrastructure and economic growth agent, we had no intention of spending nothing. He then brought out some ap- never worked again. All of which brings in partner countries. And, this project – any more time there than was humanly petizers and proceeded to tell me why. us back full circle to our LNG grant unlike (for example) the wholesale ex- necessary. Our leisurely peek at the Falls It was a long story – we poured another down in Panama. port of U.S. dollars to build a road some- completed, we hustled back to our hotel glass of wine. where else with no guarantee of any of to await auto transport out on the next The U.S. funding for the project, he Fast Forward: Getting it Right the money bene? ting the U.S. economy day. said, ran into the tens of millions of dol- I spoke with USTDA’s Keith Eischeid – makes perfect sense. Bravo Zulu.

It’s about 300 miles to Lusaka from lars. It was, after all, a four lane highway and his Director of Congressional and

Victoria Falls; that is, once you escape stretching more than 300 miles across Public Affairs, Thomas Hardy. They ex- – MarPro 8 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • JULY 2015

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