Topics 2005

2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2004 2003	December
	- High standard container terminal goes into service
	Tobishima Pier South Side Container Terminal, a key facility in the “Super Core Port” projects at the Port of Nagoya, began operation on December 1. The terminal features an earthquake-resistant berth with a quay length of 400 meters and a water depth of 16 meters, a cargo handling yard with the capacity of 9,768 TEUs, three 22-row quayside container cranes of the mono-box type with single girder, and 12 remote-controlled automated rubber-tired gantry (RTG) cranes. A jacket type steel structure, usually applied to offshore oil-drilling facilities, was introduced to in the development of the berth, the first such attempt at a deep-sea pier in Japan. The newly introduced RTG cranes are operated automatically in the storage area and remote-controlled by the operators from the control office in the cargo handling area. One operator is able to control a maximum of four RTGs. The opening ceremony, held in the control office of the terminal on December 15, was cosponsored by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT), Nagoya Port Authority (NPA), Nagoya Port Terminal Public Corporation and Tobishima Container Berth Co., Ltd. (TCB), who jointly developed the terminal.	Tobishima Pier South Side Container Terminal Opening ceremony held in the control office
	The ceremony was attended by 170 port-related executives including Mr. Kazuo Kitagawa, Minister of MLIT, and Mr. Takehisa Matsubara, Mayor of Nagoya city and President of NPA. Mr. Kitagawa delivered a congratulatory address in front of the gathered participants, during which he said, “The Port of Nagoya has been the top Japanese port in terms of trade value for four consecutive years, proving itself to be a key port not only for the Chubu region but for our entire nation. I have great expectations for the further prosperity of the Chubu region as a distribution base for manufacturing and international logistics.” The estimated annual cargo handling volume at the new berth is 300,000 TEUs. The second berth of the terminal, which will be of the same scale as the first, is currently under construction and will be completed in 2008. TCB aims to employ more efficient yard operation systems at the second berth, while testing various methods at the first.
	BACK TO TOP

	November
	- New Incentive for Port Dues is to be implemented
	In an attempt to encourage large containerships to visit the Port of Nagoya and pull more major routes to the Port, the Nagoya Port Authority has established a policy for the application of new incentives for port dues. For full containerships of 60,000 g/t and over, the upper limit for port dues has been established at 153,900 JPY, which will mean a considerable reduction. This incentive is to go into effect on December 1. Since FY2001, the NPA has been taking measures to reduce five percent from regular fees for vessels of 40,000 g/t and over. In recent years, the number of large containerships calling at the Port has been on the increase. Considering this, it is expected that the introduction of this new highly competitive measure will encourage more such vessels to call. The present port dues for 80,000 g/t oceangoing containerships are 216,000 JPY, but they will be reduced by approximately 62,000 JPY after the new maximum of 153,900 JPY goes into effect.
		BACK TO TOP

	October
	- Logistics hub to be developed at Tobishima Pier
	Super core port projects, designated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, are now underway across the country. At the Port of Nagoya, development of a logistics hub is one of our major objectives, which will serve to increase the Port of Nagoya’s international competitiveness. With the aim of meeting logistics demands and strengthening distribution functions at the Port of Nagoya, the Nagoya Port Authority invited proposals from business enterprises to establish a logistics and distribution center at Tobishima Pier. Two enterprises, MHI Aerospace Logitem (MHIASL) and Meiko Trans, were selected from five applicants to develop logistics facilities there. A total land area of 74,726 square meters at the center of Tobishima Pier is to be developed. The NPA is leasing a 42,476-square-meter space to MHIASL to build a logistics center for handling airplane- and aerospace-related items, and sold the remaining area of 32,250 square meters to Meiko Trans to build a distribution center for import and export containers.
		BACK TO TOP

	September
	- The first half statistics of 2005 released
	The first half statistics for the Port of Nagoya have been released. In the first six months of 2005, total cargo throughput was 92.8 million tons, up 3.5 percent over the same period of the previous year. In foreign trade, exports rose 1.4 percent to 22 million tons with increases in rubber and chemical products, while imports also grew to 37.7 million tons, up by 5.1 percent, with increases in LNG, coal and corn.　The volume of container cargo handled at the Port showed favorable growth of 5.9 percent, reaching 21 million tons. Domestic container cargo also rose significantly by 18.1 percent, as a result of the increase in import of automobile parts. Exports to Taiwan and the U.A.E. grew dramatically (by 23.0 % and 30.3 %, respectively), both due to the increased shipment of completed cars. Exports to Thailand also grew by 25.6 percent thanks to increased shipments of chemical and steel products. In the import trades, a notable increase was seen in cargo from China, up by 7.4 percent, with the growth of garments, other wearable items, shoes, and containerized automobile parts. Imports from the U.S. also increased by 10.2 percent, as a result of steady growth in corn and wheat imports over the last year. These figures are now available in our statistics pages.
		BACK TO TOP

	August
	- Outdoor Concerts at Kinjo Pier
	Nagoya Port Open Air Park was opened this month at Kinjo Pier. A temporary stage has been set up on a section of the Kinjo Pier Central Green Tract for the summer, and the park is used for outdoor concerts. On August 11, Summer Sonic Eve was held as the opening event of the Open Air Park. A crowd of more than 5,000 people came to see rock acts including Oasis, Weezer and Asian Kanfu Generation. On August 28, about 10,000 fans packed the venue for a concert by Japanese singer Kazumasa Oda. One more rock festival called TREASURE 052 - Walking on Air is scheduled for September. The park is only a few minutes’ walk from the Kinjo Pier station on the Aonami line.	Nagoya Port Open Air Park
	- Tobishima South Side Second Berth Starts Construction
	Construction of Tobishima Pier South Side Container Terminal Berth No. 2 has officially started. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on the construction site on August 4, and the gathered officials prayed for the safe construction of the facilities. The new Tobishima terminal, designated as one of the port’s Super Core Port Projects, is on target to open in FY 2007. Together with the first berth (400 m long, 16 m deep), which will go into service from December 2005, and the third berth (250 m long, 12 m deep, planned), the overall quay length of the new Container terminal will be 1,050 m. This will enable the Port of Nagoya to accommodate large container vessels. The Nagoya Port Authority appointed the Tobishima Container Berth Co., Ltd. (TCB), which was established by 10 private companies, as the operator of the new terminal.
	BACK TO TOP

	July
	- Gudrun Maersk makes her first call at the Port of Nagoya
	On July 12, the Port of Nagoya welcomed the Gudrun Maersk, the world’s largest and longest container vessel, at the Tobishima South Container Terminal for the first time. Launched in Denmark on June 9, the Gudrun Maersk set out on her maiden voyage from Europe to Asia, and called at Nagoya in the morning of July 12, following a call at Kobe. The vessel stayed in Nagoya for 11 and a half hours, and left at 8 p.m. The new vessel, with an overall length of 367 meters, gross tonnage of 97,933 tons, and capacity of 7,000 TEU, is to join Maersk Sealand’s Europe-Far East service and is scheduled to call at the port of Nagoya once every two months.	Gudrun Maersk
		BACK TO TOP

	June
	- New Executive Vice President supports distribution functions of the Port

Following the retirement of Dr. Akio Someya, who vigorously advanced the development of high-standard container terminals and added recreational facilities for the general public at the Port of Nagoya, Mr. Takashi Yamada recently took office as the Executive Vice President of the Nagoya Port Authority. Mr. Yamada, with a long career in port and airport development and administration, is poised to tackle issues facing the port such as enhancement of distribution functions to support the logistics of industries in the hinterland. At a press conference held on June 20, Mr. Yamada said that he was honored to have been given the opportunity to work for the most energetic port in Japan, which boasts the No. 1 cargo throughput as well as cargo value. The Port is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening the international competitiveness of business entities located in the port’s hinterland, the Chubu Region. The ongoing phase I development of a new 16-m-deep-water container terminal will be completed this year, and it will serve to further enhance logistics in one of the leading manufacturing centers in Japan. Mr. Yamada, referring to port amenities, also expressed his thoughts on making the port more attractive for residents and tourists. With the opening of a new commercial complex called the Italian Village at Garden Pier in April, an increasing number of people visit the port every day. In October 2004, the Aonami Line was put into service, enhancing access to Kinjo Pier, where redevelop projects for the general pubic are being undertaken.

Mr. Takashi Yamada, New Executive Vice President

- Antwerp Seminar : Graced with the Presence of His Royal Highness Prince Philippe

	His Royal Highness Prince Philippe of Belgium	Based on the friendship port agreement concluded in 1988, and its revision in 2002 that aimed to strengthen a business-oriented relationship between the Ports of Antwerp and Nagoya, the Port and Province of Antwerp hosted a Business Seminar on June 15, with assistance from the Flanders Foreign Investment Office and the Nagoya Port Authority. The Seminar was graced with the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Philippe of Belgium, who was visiting Japan to attend the “National Day” events for	Baron Delwaide, President of the Port of Antwerp
	Expo 2005 Aichi now being held in the area. His Royal Highness pointed out the similarities shared by the ports of Antwerp and Nagoya, and encouraged local enterprises closely associated to the port to seize new business opportunities from the delegates from Antwerp. The delegation was led by Mr. Camille Paulus, Governor of Antwerp, and Baron Leo Delwaide, President of the Port of Antwerp. Baron Delwaide, in his presentation on the Port of Antwerp, explained the advantages of the Port of Antwerp in terms of facilities and access, and expressed a wish for eventual inauguration of direct liner service between the two ports. The event, which attracted approximately 50 participants each from Antwerp and Nagoya, will serve as a milestone in the strengthening business ties between the two friendship ports.		Mr. Paulus, Governor of Antwerp (right) and Mr. Kato, Chairman of Nagoya Port Assembly
			BACK TO TOP

May

	- The 77th Japan Port and Harbour Association Meeting in Nagoya
			Mr. Mikanagi, President, JPHA
		The Nagoya Port Authority hosted the 77th Japan Port and Harbour Association Meeting, a two-day conference for the Japanese port industry, on Monday, May 30.
	The Association has approximately 1,100 members across the nation, including port authorities, local government bodies with ports in their jurisdiction, and port experts. Given a series of national undertakings including Expo 2005 Aichi as well as the Chubu International Airport, or Centrair, Nagoya was selected as a place with suitable momentum to hold this year’s meeting for the Association. Before the 1,000 participants, Mr. Kiyoyasu Mikanagi, President of the Japan Port and Harbour Association, delivered a welcome speech, followed by greetings by Mr. Masaaki Kanda, President of the Nagoya Port Authority as well as Governor of Aichi Prefecture, Mr. Takehisa Matsubara, Mayor of the City of Nagoya, and National Diet members. During the plenary session, Mr. Heizo Kito, Director-General of the Ports and Harbors Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport presented the General Report on Port Administration, which illustrated recent trends in the port administration sector. Two former officials of the Nagoya Port Authority were cited for their remarkable contributions to the Japanese port industry. In addition to financial reports and budget approval for this fiscal year, a resolution on development and promotion for ports and harbors was adopted which aims to encourage related parties to further enhance activities in these areas.		Mr. Kanda, Governor, Aichi Pref./President, NPA
			Mr. Matsubara, Mayor, City of Nagoya
			Mr. Kito, Director-General, Ports and Harbors Bureau, MLIT

	- Port of Los Angeles Participates in Sister Cities Festival The year 2005 is a festive year for Nagoya! The 2005 World Exposition is being held in the suburbs of the city, attracting many people every day at a more rapid pace than was forecast. In conjunction with this half-year event, the Sister Cities Festival 2005 was celebrated in Nagoya with attendance by representatives from five sister cites of Nagoya: Los Angeles (USA), Mexico City (Mexico), Nanjing (China), Sydney (Australia), and Torino (Italy). Mr. Thomas LaBonge, a Los Angeles City Council Member, led the mission from Los Angeles, and attended a series of events held from May 27 through 29. The Port of Los Angeles, a department of the city government of Los Angeles, also contributed to this event by running a booth at a downtown Satellite Site of Expo 2005 Aichi. Given the Exposition’s main theme, “Nature’s Wisdom”, the Port of Los Angeles’ booth also featured the port’s environmental activities in addition to an overview of the port. As the people who would attend this event were local residents, the Port of Los Angeles developed two brochures, in English and Japanese, especially for this occasion so that Japanese readers could also understand the environmental issues and efforts at the Port. During a weeklong exhibition, the booth was successful in spurring the interest of many people in our sister on the West Coast of America.
	Exhibition booth crowded with many people	Mr. LaBonge promotes the Port of Los Angeles
	BACK TO TOP

- Development of port security facilities completed. Following a revision in December 2002, the new SOLAS convention was put into force in July 2004. In Japan, a new national law was formulated to comply with this international convention, which calls for port authorities to implement appropriate security measures. In order to meet the requirements the new regulations, the Port of Nagoya undertook construction and installation of security facilities at container and RORO terminals (8 installations/35 berths) that are dedicated to international trade. All work was completed by the end of March 2005. Following is an outline of the port security facilities and work completion dates.

	Facilities	Length/Number	Completed in
	Perimeter fences	Approx. 7.5 km	June 2004
	Gates	126 places
	Surveillance cameras	Necessary no.	March 2005
	The Nagoya Port Vessel Traffic Information Center (NAVTIC) at Kinjo Pier, in collaboration with the Risk Management Center located at the NPA’s headquarters, will take central control of these facilities to ensure security in port areas.

- Nagoya United Container Terminal (NUCT) adds more cargo-handling equipment Nagoya United Container Terminal, the operator of Nabeta Pier Container Terminal, announced that the company would add four more transfer cranes and an additional gantry quay crane to raise the terminal’s cargo-handling capacity. A series of additions will raise the total number of RTGs to 21, and that of quay cranes to six at Nabeta Terminal. The quay crane will be leased from the Nagoya Port Terminal Public Corporation, the terminal’s managing body. Since opening in May 2001, the 735-m long, 14-m deep terminal has received a larger number of vessels than originally expected, and its annual cargo throughput has accounted for as much as a third of that for the entire port. On a ship arrival basis, the terminal receives about a half of the port’s total vessel calls, with 210 to 220 arrivals per month. Nineteen Chinese and eleven Korean shipping lines were using the terminal as of March 2005.

- Waterfront thrives! As has been regularly publicized, the Port of Nagoya is actively developing waterfront facilities for the enjoyment of people. With the opening of the Italian Village, a PFI project jointly carried out with private resort company C’est la Vie Resort, Garden Pier has become more lively and attractive. The Italian Village is the latest addition to a waterfront area that already includes an aquarium, a green park and other recreational and maritime educational facilities. The Italian Village project was adopted through a competition for Garden Pier East development. This commercial complex was developed and is operated by C’est la Vie Resort.

New waterfront commercial complex Italian Village

	New projects have also been undertaken at Kinjo Pier. In October 2004, the Aonami Line, a new railway connecting the Pier directly to downtown Nagoya, began operation, making the area more attractive and increasing its potential as commercial center. A greenbelt has been remade so that it can serve as a venue for outdoor concerts during the summertime. Other projects now being carried out in Kinjo Pier are an outlet mall of Swiss company FOX TOWN and a wedding hall.	Planned shopping complex FOX TOWN
		BACK TO TOP

	March
	-New Dredger Launches Soon! The Port of Nagoya, the nation’s No. 1 port in cargo-handling volume and cargo value, has been receiving an increasing number of large vessels each year. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently announced that it will deploy a new vessel (length: 104 meters) in April to replace the aging Seiryu-maru, the self-propulsion dredger/oil recovery vessel currently in service. The Seiryu-maru has been used for efficient dredging of channels and anchorages where large vessels navigate. The new vessel, which is scheduled to be christened on March 20, will adopt new systems for dredging and oil skimming. In addition, the ship will be equipped with disaster information collection and dispatch functions so that she can react promptly in cases of large-scale disaster, including the anticipated Great Tokai Earthquake. Emergency personnel can be airlifted using the vessel’s special helicopter deck. (04/03/05)
	BACK TO TOP

BACK TO TOP

January

- Nagoya: No. 1 Port for the third year in a row The Port of Nagoya released its port traffic (estimates) for 2004. The highlight was that in foreign trade alone the Port is estimated to have handled 2.14 million TEU containers in the period from January through December 2004, a 10.9% increase over the previous year. It will be the first time that the Port of Nagoya has reached the 2 million TEU mark without the inclusion of domestic container traffic figures. The total traffic is estimated to be approximately 180 million tons (4.6% growth from 2003), giving the port the top position for the third-consecutive year among all ports in Japan. The amount of cargo value that passed through the Port from January to October 2004 topped all others in the nation, strongly supporting Nagoya’s status as the no. 1 port in terms of cargo value for the entire year of 2004. Major contributions were from increased shipment of completed automobiles and automobile-related cargo such as components. By trade lane, almost all routes to Asia, US West Coast, Europe showed a considerable growth in cargo volume. (04/01/05)

BACK TO TOP