[Geographical conditions]

Tsuruga Port is located on the Sea of Japan side, roughly in the center of Japan, in Fukui Prefecture. Situated deep within Tsuruga Bay, it is a naturally protected harbor with calm waters. The port features a 14-meter-deep, 410-meter-long deep-water berth, making it one of the leading international ports on the Sea of Japan coast capable of accommodating large vessels.
Additionally, Tsuruga Port is directly backed by an extensive expressway network, offering convenient overland access to major Pacific ports—approximately 100 minutes to Nagoya Port and around 150 minutes to Kobe and Osaka Ports—highlighting its advantageous proximity to Japan’s major Pacific-side ports.

【Regular Shipping Routes】

As for international routes, Tsuruga Port operates both container and Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) services with South Korea, supporting the global supply chains of companies, particularly in the manufacturing sector.

With regard to domestic routes, Tsuruga Port operates ferry and Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) services to Tomakomai and Hakata, as well as a container route to Kobe, enabling the safe and stable transportation of large volumes of cargo. Notably, Tsuruga Port is the only port on the Sea of Japan side that offers both ferry and Ro-Ro routes to both Hokkaido and Kyushu.

【Disaster Resilience】

In January 2022, Japan’s government Earthquake Research Committee estimated that there is about a 90% probability of a massive Nankai Trough earthquake occurring within the next 40 years. If such an event were to happen, regions from Shizuoka to Miyazaki could experience strong tremors measuring upper 6 to 7 on the Japanese seismic scale.

On the other hand, even in the event of a large-scale earthquake such as a Nankai Trough megathrust earthquake, the seismic intensity in Tsuruga, located on the Sea of Japan side, is expected to be around level 5. With many earthquake-resistant berths, Tsuruga Port is highly likely to function as an alternative logistics route from the Chukyo and Hanshin regions to Hokkaido and Kyushu, making it an extremely important component of Japan’s emergency logistics network.

【Environmental Considerations】

In October 2021, the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) was held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, marking the beginning of a full-scale global movement toward decarbonization.

Whereas traditional investors have valued corporate financial indicators, DSG investment, which emphasizes the perspective of environmental and social governance, has increased significantly in recent years, and has begun to have a significant impact on the defunding of operators.

Particularly with a focus on climate change countermeasures, global interest in environmental conservation has been rising, and the issuance of green bonds worldwide has increased more than ever before, reaching an all-time high.

From an environmental perspective, maritime transport emits only about one-sixth the amount of CO₂ per ton-kilometer compared to truck transport, making it significantly more eco-friendly for logistics.

【Addressing the Truck Driver Shortage】

In recent years, a growing concern has been the logistics crisis caused by a shortage of truck drivers responsible for cargo transport. In Japan, the revision of the Labor Standards Act will enforce stricter limits on drivers' working hours starting in 2024. As a result, logistics companies may face various challenges, including unexpected cost increases and the need for significant changes to their business operations.

One promising solution to the truck driver shortage is the concept of unmanned transport, which involves using long-distance maritime shipping methods—such as ferries and Ro-Ro vessels—for portions of the transport route.

Under the revised Labor Standards Act taking effect in 2024, if cargo is transported entirely by land, the driver would not be able to return home until the morning of the fourth day at the earliest. In contrast, by utilizing the unmanned transport model with maritime shipping, the driver can return home on the same day.

In response to the inevitable logistics crisis caused by the growing shortage of truck drivers, maritime transport is gaining attention as a promising solution to improve drivers’ working conditions.

【Subsidy Programs】

While the benefits of using maritime transport are clear, some may wonder whether combining land and sea transport could lead to longer lead times and higher costs.

The Port Authority of Fukui Prefecture, in cooperation with the City of Tsuruga, has introduced various subsidy programs to promote modal shift using Tsuruga Port, aiming to encourage more users to experience its convenience. Since 2020, numerous businesses have conducted trial shipments between the Kinki, Chubu, and Hokuriku regions and Kyushu under this initiative.

As a result, many companies recognized the benefits from the perspectives of decarbonization and improved working conditions for drivers. While some shippers experienced an increase in lead time of up to one day, many found the transportation costs to be comparable to or even lower than those of overland transport. Following the trial shipments, an increasing number of businesses have continued to use Tsuruga Port on a regular basis.

[Summary]

The logistics industry continues to face difficult and ever-changing conditions. Diversifying supply chain routes is becoming increasingly important for companies to respond flexibly to unforeseen events.

Furthermore, to address growing social responsibilities such as climate change and the shortage of truck drivers, we are confident that maritime transport via Tsuruga Port—capable of meeting these challenges—will contribute to improving the transportation environment for users.

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