Japanese Port of Sendai devastated

The Port of Sendai in the capital of northern Miyagi prefecture in Japan has been devastated, with reports that fires are still burning at the oil processing and cargo facilities In addition an estimated 10,000 people are reportedly missing in the Japanese Port of Minamisanriku; both ports were closest to the epicentre of Friday’s 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami.


It is reported that in addition, the ports of Hachinohe, Ishinomaki and Onahama in the north of the country are said to have also suffered severe damage. The ports in Tokyo Bay and to the south, including Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe are all working normally, as are Chiba and Yokkaichi, although some terminals remain shut. Most shipping lines are rescheduling services to southern ports.


One of northeast Japan’s largest port complexes, which included the Tagasago Container Terminal, Sendai had been developing major import/export container routes, becoming one of the main distribution points for goods for the Tohoku region, with connections to Tokyo by road and rail.


Container shipping services operated to North America, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia, as well as feeder services to Tokyo and Yokohama to serve Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America.


Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has reported that its 20,212 tonne chartered oil tanker ‘CS Victory’ was carried toward the breakwater by the tsunami and now rests on the bottom of the shallow harbour at Ishinomaki (Miyagi prefecture). All the crew left the vessel on orders of the harbour master and none were injured. There has been no spillage of oil reported from the vessel.


The company is still gathering data concerning MOL-operated vessels that may have been affected, although it has stated that there were no significant maritime accidents involving MOL-operated vessels.


MOL is to donate ¥50m (US$600,000) to help support and rescue victims of the quake.
(Source:http://www.container-mag.com)