Japan to Step for Deeper Ports for Iron Ore, Coal and Grain

Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry held first meeting for international strategic bulk ports on Monday. The meeting focuses on coal transport at first when Japanese electricity would shift to coal fired thermal power from nuclear power. The ministries hold the second meeting after the government makes new basic energy plan in summer.

The strategy is to make selected ports to accept very large ore carrier and other major vessels for iron ore, coal and grain by 2020. Related divisions of the ministries discuss the solution.

The point is cost burden of the government, local government and users. The meeting focuses on coal importing public ports when the meeting can put off the discussion for the fund allocation with private companies.

Ore carrier gets larger recently. However, Oita works of Nippon Steel is only domestic port to accept large ore carrier with 300,000 dead weight tonnes of capacity while the large ore carrier can be accepted by many Asian ports including Gwangyang in South Korea, Dalian, Caofeidian, Majishan, Rizhao and Ningbo in China. Japanese government tries to make deeper water for selected ports including Kisarazu and Fukuyama-Mizushima ports enough for large ore carrier.

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism selected 10 ports as strategic port for international bulk transport in May 2011. The government tries to improve international competitiveness of the ports for better transport efficiency in iron ore, coal and grain.