NHK



 

The Japanese government is pushing for a shift to sea and rail freight as part of its strategy to address a truck driver shortage. One firm in central Japan has started loading its cargo on a specially designed type of ship as part of this transition.

Shizuoka Prefecture-based Suzuyo is using vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo. This allows for the shipments to be easily rolled off and attached to trucks at their destinations.

The company says the use of so-called RORO ships has reduced the amount of time their drivers work on a delivery to a single day, even for long-distance transport. It adds the ships have contributed to a 10 percent increase in its sea freight over the past year.

Japan's government compiled emergency measures aimed at launching a shift in the country's logistics network last week. It comes as restrictions on overtime in the trucking industry go into effect next April.

The government says it aims to double sea freight from 50 to 100 million tons, and rail freight from 18 to 36 million over the next decade.