90 percent Rise in Shipping Container Traffic at Sakata Port
It has been a year, since Japan was hit hard by the devastating tsunami in March 2011, and the numbers for shipping container traffic; have been remarkably strong. However, the ports that were hardest hit by the disaster, saw their container traffic decline as expected. Tohoku and northern Kanto regions on the Pacific coast, saw their combined numbers drop by 67 percent. Sendai-Siogama Port in Miyagi Prefecture and Onahama Port in Fukushima Prefecture, reported that shipping container traffic dropped by 79 percent and 74 percent, respectively.
On the other hand, the port in Sakata saw a 90 percent increase in shipping container traffic, as a result of the damaged ports’ inability to operate properly; and accommodate shipping traffic. Japan’s ports set a record in 2011, handling 17,508,000 shipping containers, which represents a 4 percent rise over 2010 results; and making it 2 years in a row of increases; in container handling. Tokyo lead the way, with 4,144,000 containers being processed, in 2011.
Japan’s strong distribution ties with China and Southeast Asian countries, are fuelling the economic base of the Japanese economy. The overall rise in shipping container numbers, points to a strong foundation to build upon, despite the country’s struggles in recent years.