Japanese Government Designates Three New 'Recycling Ports'

The Port Department of Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on December 19, 2006 that it has designated three new ports (Noshiro Port, Maizuru Port, Mishima-Kawanoe Port) as Comprehensive "Arterial" Logistics Ports (which it calls "recycling ports").

Under the ministry's framework, a recycling port is a marine port with integrated recycling facilities that form part of what it refers to as a "venous logistics network." "Arterial logistics" is a concept that covers the flow of material through transport systems for production in an economy--from the procurement of raw materials to delivery of finished goods to customers. "Venous logistics," meanwhile, means the transport of waste produced by industries and consumers to disposal or recycling centers and the delivery of recycled materials to users of recycled materials.

A recycling port is designated by the government after it assesses whether an applying port qualifies for the special status. The government found that the three newly-designated ports can reduce transport costs of recycled materials and thus function effectively as recycling ports. Japan's venous logistics network consisted of 18 designated recycling ports since April 2003, and it is expected that the three newly-designated ports will reinforce the network.

These 21 ports form a core component of collaboration between the government and industry in efforts to establish a recycling network that covers the entire country, as well as rejuvenate and stimulate coastal industries through venous logistics based on marine transport.

http://www.mlit.go.jp/english/index.html
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http://www.japanfs.org/db/1544-e

Posted: 2007/04/12 09:56:46 AM
Japanese version