１ The bankground to the establishment of INAP

The New Port of Kochi was opened for service in March 1998, with large quays　opening directly onto the Pacific Ocean. At the opportunity of the commissioning of the new Port of Kochi, the Hon. M. H. M. Ashraff, PC, MP, the then Minister of Ports Development, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction from the government of Sri Lanka proposed that an opportunity should be created for all affiliate ports to meet together. The proposal agreed by the Mr. Daijiro Hashimoto, Governor of Kochi.
The Sri Lanka Ports Authority, upon this decision, held an International Symposium from 17 to 19 November 1998, with the participation of 6 ports in total. The other participating ports, all with Sister-Port Agreements with the Port of Kochi or the Port of Colombo, were the Port of Subic Bay, the Philippines; the Port of Tanjung Perak, Indonesia; the Port of Qingdao, the People's Republic of China; and the Port of New Orleans, the USA. This Symposium was held around the theme of "Global Peace through Sister Ports".
In the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Symposium, Governor Hashimoto proposed the "Port Network Alliance" concept based on cooperation among sister ports. The alliance would aim at exchanging and sharing information on marine transport and port affairs, studying and discussing potential measures to promote mutual exchanges, and moreover creating a world scale port network which could respond the needs of marine transport on the basis of intra-regional networks consisting of member ports. Minister Ashraff further developed the proposal and proposed the establishment of an international network organization for sister ports, the "International Network of Affiliated Ports" (INAP). The delegates supported the idea. A document of the basic agreements made regarding the establishment was summarized as a Proclamation.

The following 5 points are given in the Proclamation:

1. INAP shall endeavour to make the Affiliate Ports Network mutually beneficial by consultation, co-operation and exchange of information on expertise, know-how, and marketing, planning, technology, technical skills, and overall developments of
"Ports" and any other matters of mutual interest to the "Ports" including economic and cultural benefits.
2. INAP shall endeavour to establish a mutually beneficial Regional Federation by conducting and promoting the above described activities of the "Ports" based on mutual benefits and efficient circulation and distribution of resources and services.
3. INAP shall make all endeavours to enhance human intellectual, spiritual development and cultural growth.
4. INAP shall also endeavour to revitalize the common moral and religious values.
5. INAP shall play a special role in creating environmental awareness so as
to minimize the ecological impact the modern civilisation has caused on the environment and thereby ensure the planet earth becoming a truly peaceful and harmonious place to live in without fear and anxiety.

 

2 The objectives of INAP

The long-term vision of INAP shall be to help in the realization of an environmentally-friendly society and a peaceful and harmonious earth, whilst upholding the principles of friendly, harmonious co-existence among members.
In order to realize this vision, the objectives of INAP are as follows:

1. To formulate a network among the member ports
by integrating each individual affiliated-port relationship.

2. To promote activities of the member ports and to make each individual
affiliated-port relationship more meaningful by exchanging information on port development, promotion and management among members.

3. To establish mutual relationships among the different regions of the member ports,
and to strengthen economic and cultural relationships among such regions.

3 The members of INAP

Eligibility to become a member is extended to any port which has established an affiliated-port relationship with an INAP member.

Notwithstanding the aforesaid sub-paragraphs, any port that agrees the INAP Charter and is approved by the INAP General Assembly shall be eligible as a member of INAP.

*INAP's founding members are 
　the Port of Kochi , Japan
　the Port of Qingdao , People's Republic of China
　the Port of Tanjung Perak , Indonesia
　the Port of Subic Bay , Philippines
　the Port of Colombo , Sri Lanka
* The port of Cebu in Philippines became a new member port in 2000.
  The Mokpo New Port joined in 2007.The Korean port of Dangjin joined in 2014.
  The Port of Davao in Philippines joined in 2016. The Port of Chittagong in Bangladesh joined in 2019.
*As of November 2023 , the number of member ports is 10.