Institutions
Public and private sector responsibilities in constructing and managing Japan's container terminals
In Japan, the national government implements construction of the most important facilities (for both domestic and international marine transportation network) among the fundamental infrastructures at ports and harbors. In Kitakyushu, for example, many facilities are constructed by the national government as part of the national jurisdiction projects. One of these is a new deep draft berth at Hibikinada9 and another is Hitachi Naka in Tokyo Bay.10 In North Kyushu the Kanmon Channel between Kitakyushu Ports and Shimonoseki Ports is a main sea route that was developed and is maintained by the national government.11 Container terminal construction takes place with many discussions from the national government and the local authorities.12 In addition to central government's role, many major public facilities are constructed by the local government (the port management body) who provides the land, sheds, and stevedoring machines at public terminals.13
There are now four types of institutional arrangements in Japan for container terminal management: the Public system; the Port Terminal Public Corporation (PTPC) system; the Joint stock company system; and the “New system” that is yet to be defined.
Public System Container Terminal
The Public Container Terminal System consists of a State or Port Management Body (PMB). These are self-governing bodies that construct terminal facilities and equipment such as berths, superstructures, and gantry cranes. This type of terminal is open to all; however, shipping companies are required to obtain permission to use the berths and facilities. Multiple stevedoring companies use the container yards and gantry cranes to provide a service for various shipping companies. The stevedore companies provide the yard equipment except for the gantry cranes.14 There are 55 berths of these types of terminals in the major ports of Yokohama (11), Kitakyushu (8), Kobe (8), Fukuoka (3), Tokyo (5), Osaka (6), Shimizu (7), and Nagoya (9). The financial support for loans to invest in wharf development is 50% from the MOT and 50% from the PMB. The terms for wharf development loans are 20 yrs with 3 years deferred and payments semi-annual. The revenue is based on a charge to the user. Those responsible for terminal equipment, buildings, land, and leasehold improvements are as follows:
the MOT/PMB is responsible for the wharf,
the PMB is responsible for the backyard,
the PMB is responsible for the yard pavement,
the PMB is responsible for the gates, CFS, and buildings.,
the PMB is responsible for the gantry cranes, and
the user is responsible for the handling equipment.
The advantages of the Public system model is that small/medium-size shipping and stevedoring companies can make use of the facilities based on their needs for volume and schedules. Anyone can use public berths,“no contract” is needed. However permission is needed for use.15 For example, the City of Kitakyushu's container terminals do not have any lease contracts with port users. They grant permission to use the facilities and collect a charge for the terminal's use.16 The difficulties with the Public system model is unscheduled uses of the facilities by many different stevedoring companies; the custom of having an individual transportation company serve a specific shipping company; and difficulties in providing high-performance stevedoring machines.17
