Ships slowly returning to Japanese ports

Japanese ports are starting to see the number of ship calls inching up following the country's earthquake and lingering nuclear crisis, Japan's transport ministry said. An average of 15 ships a day are docking at 14 major ports in Japan's northeast as operations gradually resumed since the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, the ministry said on its website Tuesday. The number of ships remains small compared to about 144 that entered the ports each day during the same period last year. “Most facilities need restoration works and some piers have draft or loading restrictions,” the ministry said. About 35% of the 367 shipping berths at the damaged ports were operational.


Japan has restricted seaborne traffic 30km from the nuclear plant, which has leaked radioactive particles. Some shipping companies have self-imposed exclusion zone of up to 100km.
(Source:http://www.seatrade-asia.com)