Paper Title
Port Expansion Strategy at Thilawa Area in Yangon River, Myanmar

Abstract
Ports are one of the essentialroles of regional economic growth in a country. Maritime transportation contributes to not only economic but also regional balance and significantly impacts national integration into the global economy. Yangon port has playedanessential role in the economic development of Myanmar by maritime trade and transportation for several decades, which handles about 90% of the country’s trade volume by imports and exports. Yangon inner port has been restrictedin vessel calling for international ships because it is a river port that can accept vessels up to 15,000 deadweight tons (DWT)due to the narrow channel width and lower water depth. In addition, the port was adjacent to Yangon city, which has caused trafficcongestion by the port.Itfaces a high sedimentation rate and frequent dredging around the port terminals. The optimum site in the Thilawa region is for port expansion in future development. This study aimed to providestrategic guidelines for port expansionsuitable geographical characteristics, such as deep-water depth and wider water channel. Therewasamore appropriate location for future port expansionthat may increase cargo demand sharply for future country economic growth.Based onthe result,guidelines for sustainable site selection should be developed and appliedthat were more available in water depth, wider water channel, and more capacity to handlelarger ships. Thearea of the dumping site for dredgingwas closer than Yangon’s inner port.On the other hand, a transportation network for port expansion,including roads and the railway,may be required to developto connect Yangon and other major cities with the Thilawa port area. Keywords - Yangon River, Thilawa Area, Dredging, Sedimentation, Port Expansion