Port of Tokyo
Encyclopedia
Port of Tokyo is one of the largest Japan
ese seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Pacific Ocean
basin having an annual traffic capacity of around 100 million tonnes of cargo
and 4,500,000 TEU's
.
The port is also an important employer in the area having more than 30,000 employees that provide services to more than 32,000 ships every year.
and as a distribution point for supplying goods for the people of Edo
. During the Tokugawa Shogunate
the Port of Tokyo was not allowed to open to international trade, although the neighbouring Port of Yokohama
was already open for this kind of trade.
The development of the port was finally encouraged during the Meiji Period
with the influence of a project that was ment to improve the estuary
of the Sumida River
by dredging channels and reclaiming land at Tsukishima
and Shibaura
.
The Kanto earthquake
in 1923 served as a starting point of a full - scale terminal
construction project, which was topped out with the opening of the first terminal Hinode in 1925. Alongside with the completion of another two terminals, Shibaura and Takeshiba, the Port of Tokyo opened for international trade on May 20, 1941.
After World War II
the development of the port became a vital task for the reconstruction of the Japan
ese industry, and construction started on the Toyosu coal terminal, the Harumi terminal and other terminals one after another.
By the late 1960s, the container transport system
had become a major factor in shipping world-wide. In 1967, Nippon Container Terminals, Ltd. (NCT), became the port's (and Japan's
) first container terminal operator. That same year, the first container ship
to call on a Japanese port was the first such ship handled by NCT. This significantly contributed to establishing the Port of Tokyo as a major international trade port.
and 3,696,000 TEU's
making it one of the busiest cargo
ports in Japan
and one of the largest container
ports in the country.
s and a quay length of 4,479 metre
s.
s with an area of 945,700 m2 and a quay length of 2,354 metre
s.
s with an area of 479,079 m2 and a quay length of 1,570 metre
s.
s with an area of 79,939 m2 and a quay length of 333 metre
s. Opened in 1967 it is the oldest container terminal
in Japan
.
opened in February, 1999, Oi marine products and Oi foodstuff,with five berth
s with a quay length of 1,060 metre
s and a storage area of 359,000 m2.
section of the port has five terminals: one for bulk cargo
, one for timber
, one for construction materials
, one for log handling and one for linear products
with a storage area of 900,000 m2, a quay length of 3,500 metre
s, storage for 200,000 cubic metres
of timber
and storage for 210,000 tonnes of logs.
with a total length of 1,200 metre
s, a land area of 100,000 m2, storage capacity of 22,000 cars and a transshipment
capacity of 3,500,000 units per year.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
basin having an annual traffic capacity of around 100 million tonnes of cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
and 4,500,000 TEU's
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
.
The port is also an important employer in the area having more than 30,000 employees that provide services to more than 32,000 ships every year.
History
The forerunner of the Port of Tokyo, the Edo Port (Edo Minato) played a very important role in the history of marine transport of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and as a distribution point for supplying goods for the people of Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
. During the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
the Port of Tokyo was not allowed to open to international trade, although the neighbouring Port of Yokohama
Port of Yokohama
The is operated by the Port and Harbor Bureau of the City of Yokohama in Japan. It opens onto Tokyo Bay. The port is located at a latitude of 35.27.–00°N and a longitude of 139.38–46°E. To the south lies the Port of Yokosuka; to the north, the ports of Kawasaki and Tokyo.-Facilities:Yokohama Port...
was already open for this kind of trade.
The development of the port was finally encouraged during the Meiji Period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
with the influence of a project that was ment to improve the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the Sumida River
Sumida River
The is a river which flows through Tokyo, Japan. It branches from the Arakawa River at Iwabuchi and flows into Tokyo Bay. Its tributaries include the Kanda and Shakujii rivers....
by dredging channels and reclaiming land at Tsukishima
Tsukishima
Tsukishima is a place located in Chūō, Tokyo, Japan. It is an island formed of reclaimed land completed in 1892, using earth from the dredging work performed to create a shipping channel in Tokyo Bay. At this time, it was designated an area for iron-working in accordance with the Fukoku Kyōhei...
and Shibaura
Shibaura
is a district of Minato ward located in Tokyo, Japan. The district is located between the eastern side of the Yamanote Line train and Tokyo Bay.Shibaura is the home to a number of major Japanese corporations including Toshiba and Oki...
.
The Kanto earthquake
Kanto earthquake
can refer to any of the historical earthquakes to occur in the Kantō region that originate from slippage in the Sagami Trough. Although the 1854 Ansei Great Earthquakes also struck in the region, this term is never used to refer to these quakes.It can refer to:...
in 1923 served as a starting point of a full - scale terminal
Container terminal
A container terminal is a facility where cargo containers are transshipped between different transport vehicles, for onward transportation. The transshipment may be between container ships and land vehicles, for example trains or trucks, in which case the terminal is described as a maritime...
construction project, which was topped out with the opening of the first terminal Hinode in 1925. Alongside with the completion of another two terminals, Shibaura and Takeshiba, the Port of Tokyo opened for international trade on May 20, 1941.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the development of the port became a vital task for the reconstruction of the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese industry, and construction started on the Toyosu coal terminal, the Harumi terminal and other terminals one after another.
By the late 1960s, the container transport system
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
had become a major factor in shipping world-wide. In 1967, Nippon Container Terminals, Ltd. (NCT), became the port's (and Japan's
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) first container terminal operator. That same year, the first container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
to call on a Japanese port was the first such ship handled by NCT. This significantly contributed to establishing the Port of Tokyo as a major international trade port.
Statistics
In 2007 the Port of Tokyo handled 90,810,000 tonnes of cargoCargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
and 3,696,000 TEU's
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
making it one of the busiest cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
ports in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and one of the largest container
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
ports in the country.
| Year | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vessels (number) | 32,633 | 32,180 | 31,653 |
| Foreign trade (trillion ¥) Trade Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and... |
9.9 | 10.8 | 12 |
| Containers (TEU's) Twenty-foot equivalent unit The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals... |
3,358,000 | 3,598,000 | 3,696,000 |
| Containers* Intermodal container An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system... |
42,972,000 | 43,281,000 | 42,987,000 |
| Other cargo* Cargo Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:... |
48,455,000 | 48,751,000 | 47,824,000 |
| Total*' | 91,427,000 | 92,032,000 | 90,811,000 |
-
- figures in tonnes
Container terminals
The Port of Tokyo has three container terminals with an area of 1,504,718 m2 with a total number of 15 berthBerth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s and a quay length of 4,479 metre
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s.
Oi container terminal
The terminal has seven berthBerth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s with an area of 945,700 m2 and a quay length of 2,354 metre
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s.
Aomi container terminal
The terminal has five berthBerth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s with an area of 479,079 m2 and a quay length of 1,570 metre
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s.
Shinagawa container terminal
The terminal has three berthBerth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s with an area of 79,939 m2 and a quay length of 333 metre
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s. Opened in 1967 it is the oldest container terminal
Container terminal
A container terminal is a facility where cargo containers are transshipped between different transport vehicles, for onward transportation. The transshipment may be between container ships and land vehicles, for example trains or trucks, in which case the terminal is described as a maritime...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Foodstuff terminal
There are two foodstuff terminalsFood
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
opened in February, 1999, Oi marine products and Oi foodstuff,with five berth
Berth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s with a quay length of 1,060 metre
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s and a storage area of 359,000 m2.
General cargo
The general cargoCargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
section of the port has five terminals: one for bulk cargo
Bulk
-Industry:* Bulk cargo* Bulk liquids* Bulk mail* Bulk material handling* Bulk pack, packaged bulk materials/products* Bulk purchasing- Physics :*Bulk density*Bulk modulus...
, one for timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
, one for construction materials
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
, one for log handling and one for linear products
Linear
In mathematics, a linear map or function f is a function which satisfies the following two properties:* Additivity : f = f + f...
with a storage area of 900,000 m2, a quay length of 3,500 metre
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s, storage for 200,000 cubic metres
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
of timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and storage for 210,000 tonnes of logs.
Automobile terminal
The Port of Tokyo has two RoRo terminalRORO
Roll-on/roll-off ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers or railroad cars that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels...
with a total length of 1,200 metre
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s, a land area of 100,000 m2, storage capacity of 22,000 cars and a transshipment
Transshipment
Transshipment or Transhipment is the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination, and then from there to yet another destination....
capacity of 3,500,000 units per year.