Kobelco Logistics provides loading, unloading and transport services for raw materials and steel products to Kobe Steel’s Kakogawa Works and Kobe Wire Rod & Bar Plant. In marine transport, our fleet of around 50 ships, including five owned ships such as the technologically advanced Shinzui Maru, connect unloading locations around the country and transport over 11 million tons of cargo annually. Our IT network enables the centralized management of all ships and cargo. We have also connected our unloading locations to the Internet and are raising the safety and efficiency of our integrated transport services to the top of the industry.

In inland transport, in addition to our main transport operations involving steel and industrial products and materials, we also undertake the legally compliant transport of heavy plates and outsize cargo using special vehicles.

In inland transport, our area of specialty is the transport of heavy oversized items, namely steel products ( semi-finished products like pig iron and slabs, heavy plates, sheets, wire rods, bars) and industrial products (propellers and other ship parts, construction machinery). Under our control we have specialized tilting trailers, which feature beds that tilt for transporting heavy plates. We offer transport plans with the optimal vehicles for safely transporting specific products.

Shifting from trucking to coastal shipping

Kobelco Logistics operates its fleet of 50 ships, including owned ships, every day. In addition to our main business of transporting steel raw material and steel products for Kobe Steel, we transport other companies’ products, leveraging the economies of scale afforded by bulk transport. A ship’s CO2 emissions per ton of cargo over one kilometer is one fourth that of a truck. The modal shift to marine transport will greatly contribute to more efficient logistics and lower environmental impact.

Shifting from trucking to freight shipping

Kobe Works used to transport wire rods to the Hokuriku region by truck. Due to a regulatory revision, the maximum allowable load per truck was lowered, resulting in a shortage of trucks, higher shipping costs, and a larger environmental impact. We therefore worked to realize a modal shift for transport between Kobe and Toyama, turning to Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight). Having created containers equipped with specialized platforms that prevent shifting due to vibration and pole attachments for forklifts to enable the unloading of cargo from truck beds, we are now able to transport 4,000 tons via rail every month. Similar steps were taken for freight bound for Sagamihara. Looking ahead, we will continue working to expand new business with JR Freight.

We are using rail container transport to promote the modal shift. Domestic freight rail cars can handle 20-foot containers with a capacity of more than 20 tons, much more than common 12-foot containers with a maximum load of five tons. Also, by opting for side opening containers for easier loading and unloading from trailer beds, we improved operational efficiency. Using JR Freight terminals, we transport Kobe Steel Group products from the Kanto region to the Kansai region and aim to expand the scope of our services going forward.

Transporting products via coastal ships

We mainly transport Kobe Steel products, including containers and steel beams. In addition, we transport products for companies besides Kobe Steel as part of our operational activities and provide transport services across the country, especially in the Keihin and Nagoya areas.

Transporting raw materials via coastal ships

We use coastal ships to transport the raw materials (limestone and coke) used in blast furnaces at Kobe Steel’s Kakogawa Works and Kobe Wire Rod & Bar Plant. In addition, we transport raw materials from Kakogawa Works to other locations around the country, including the Keihin and Chugoku regions, as part of our operational activities.

A product carrier "SHINZUI MARU"
A raw material carrier "SHIN EI MARU"