[Japan]Ishikari Bay New Port

Port Introduction

Transportation Access: Ishikari Bay New Port adjoins the Sapporo area, the political and economic center as well as the largest consumer market of Hokkaido. The port is within very close range of Sapporo, only 15 kilometers, just 30 minutes by car, from the city center. As a physical distribution base, its favorable location allows reduction in transportation costs and brings about great advantages to business activities. Furthermore, since ports on the Japan Sea are of particular interest as forming the shortest domestic transportation route, significant reductions in transportation distance and costs can be realized through the use of Ishikari Bay New Port.

Thus the port is of growing importance as a distribution base and urban-oriented port that can accommodate intermodal transportation.

Natural Conditions: The Ishikari Bay area has a relatively mild climate for Hokkaido, a cold region with much snowfall. There are many fine days and moderate rainfall in spring and autumn. It is not very hot in summer, and the maximum depth of snow is around 100 cm. In summer (Jun.-Aug.), prevailing winds blow from the south and southeast, while winds from the northwest and west prevail in winter (Dec.-Feb.). Strong winds above 10 m/sec., with a duration of three hours or less in most cases, sometimes blows from the northwest and northwest by west direction.

Since the existing tide station in Ishikari Bay New Port has yet to perform a harmonic analysis, the construction benchmark level of Otaru Port is presently used as the provisional tide level of Ishikari Bay New Port. The construction benchmark level of the port, which is 0.02 m higher than the medium tide level of Tokyo bay, is the same as the benchmark level in nautical charts. The direction of currents near the water surface is affected by wind to some extent. It tends to move northward in summer, while moving southward in winter. High waves are caused by two main factors; the passage of low atmospheric pressure moving north on the sea of Japan, and wind blowing from a high atmospheric pressure zone generated very frequently in winter. Of wave directions observed, northwest accounts for about 23%, and northwest by north, about 19%. Wave height data indicate that a significant height of 1 m or less accounts for about 66% of all waves, as well as accounts for about 95% of all waves during summer, indicating very calm wave conditions. The maximum wave, 11.6 m in height and 11.7 sec. in period, was recorded in February 1994.

Port Facilities

Ishikari Bay New Port is steadily improving its facilities as the “Port” supporting Sapporo area and Hokkaido as a whole. Built with the most up-to-date techniques such as dredged waterways that provide extremely calm conditions and an efficient operating environment provided with the latest equipment, the Ishikari Bay New Port is earning an excellent reputation as an easy-to-use harbor. In addition, the construction of the quay of 14 meters in water depth, which will become the core of the multi-purpose international trade port, is started. The Ishikari Bay New Port, which is steadily improved as the international physical distribution base and the energy base, plays a vital role in supporting Hokkaido’s growth in the 21st century.

East Wharf plays a sentral role as a recycling-oriented port and supports the establishment of a recycling-oriented society as a recycling base. East Wharf is the recycling base located in the central Hokkaido area. It is equipped with one berth with a 10m-deep quay and two berths with 7.5m-deep quays. The large and completely paved open freighting yard is directly connected to the cargo handling area, thereby enhamcing work efficiency. Scrap and sand/gravel for construction aggregates are primarily dealt with at this wharf. Scrap is shipped overseas as recycling material.

Central Wharf is a transshipment point for energy supplies such as petroleum and LPG. Central Wharf is an energy supply base for the Sapporo area, and is operated by Hokkaido Gas Co., Ltd., Liquefied Gas Terminal Co., Ltd. and Tomakomai Futo Co., Ltd. LPG (liquid petroleum gas) and other petroleum products, such as kerosene, light oil and gasoline are loaded / unloaded at a 7.5 m-deep quay which is dedicated to the handling of hazardous materials, and are supplies to the Sapporo area by pipelines or tank lorries. This wharf, which was constructed to serve annually growing energy demands, plays a significant role in the stable energy supply to the Sapporo area.

Bannaguro Wharf  features container transportation and also handles cement transportion. Bannaguro Wharf is an international container transportation base which is equipped with a 2-berth 10 m-deep quay and a 3-berth 7.5 m-deep quay, and there are three public sheds, including one equipped with four fumigation warehouses, in the cargo handling area. At the wharf, which is also equipped with a container yard over 5 ha in area and a gantry crane, containers and cement are mainly handled. In addition, the wharf is equipped with one of the largest portside cement silos in Hokkaido for shipping to the Sapporo area.

Tarukawa Wharf  handles a variety of commodities, including refrigerating & cold storage cargoes and imported rice. Tarukawa Wharf is a physical distribution base supplying the Sapporo area with everyday goods as well as industrial materials. The wharf is equipped with a 2-berth 10 m-deep quay and a 3-berth 7.5 m-deep quay. There are also two public sheds and truck scales in the cargo handling area. A wide variety of cargo, including marine products, plywood, coal, plaster and peat moss is handled at this wharf. Of particular note are the many large-scale refrigerating and cold storage warehouses located at the back of the wharf, raising its utility value as a refrigerating and cold storage base, exemplified by Japan's top-ranked import volume of frozen herring. In December 2002,the port was also designated as the port for import rice,thus increased its utility value even more.

West Wharf Port improvement is currently under way to accommodate large vessels at the West Wharf toward the realization of mass transportation. West Wharf will accommodate large vessels of 50,000-ton class.A public 14 m-deep, 280 m-long quay and a wharf area of 12 , started service in December, 2006.

Bannaguro Public Transit Shed No.1 in area of 1,800 Sq.m is completed in July,1988.

Bannaguro Public Transit Shed No.2 in area of 2000 Sq.m (with the eaves 5m long) is completed in November,1996.

Bannaguro Public Transit Shed No.3 in area of 4,000 Sq.m (with the 11.5 m long eaves and a 1,000Sq.m fumigation facility and two Controlling temperature rooms of 154Sq.m) is completed in January 1999 (fumigation facility completed in March 1999¡¢Controlling temperature rooms¡¡completed in¡¡March 2006).

Tarukawa Public Transit Shed No.1 in area of 5,000 Sq.m is completed in September,1991

Tarukawa Public Transit Shed No.2 in area of 4,000Sq.m (with the eaves 9.5 m long) is completed in February,1996

Tugboat in size of 171G/T,3600PS entered into service in December,2006

Cargo handling equipment one in maximum load size of 35 t entered into service in July,1997,and another of rated load under the spreader 30.5 t entered into service in December 2001.

Truck scale in Size of loading plate 3mx15m,and Max suspension capacity 50t is completed in August,1996.

Electrical Hook-ups for Reefer Containers in size of 440 V sockets78 and 220 V sockets12 is completed in July 1997.