YKIP to launch empty container barge trial

Yokohama Kawasaki International Port Corp. (YKIP) has announced a trial to transport empty containers by barge as part of efforts to improve coordination among the Keihin Ports of Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama.

YKIP to launch empty container barge trial

The trial will test operational procedures ahead of any broader deployment.

Empty containers imported through the Port of Tokyo, which are typically transported by truck to Yokohama, will first be moved overland to Kawasaki.

In mid-March, the containers will then be transferred by barge from Kawasaki to Yokohama’s Honmoku Pier.

The exercise will assess information-sharing processes, handover procedures between road and barge transport, contractual requirements, and cost allocation.

YKIP said the trial will also examine whether barge transport could support emissions reduction, ease pressure on truck capacity, and provide an alternative transport option during disruptions such as natural disasters.

In November 2025, containerised shipments from Japan to the US totalled 48,675 TEUs, based on port-of-origin data, marking an 8.4 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline, according to Descartes Datamyne.