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日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Jun 12, 2025 (Thu)

Dedicated Woodchip Carrier Fleet for Japanese Paper Manufacturers Remains Consistent

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　According to the Japan Paper Association, as of the end of 2024, the number of dedicated chip carri ・・・続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80According+to+the+Japan+Paper+Association%2C+as+of+the+end+of+2024%2C+the+number+of+dedicated+chip+carriers+chartered+by+domestic+paper+manufacturers+from+shipping+companies+stood+at+61%2C+unchanged+from+the+same+period+of+the+previous+year.+The+volume+of+wood+chip+imports+in+2024+remained+at+the+same+level+as+the+previous+year.+Attention+is+focused+on+the+fate+of+three+chip+carriers+owned+by+Marusumi+Paper+%28Shikokuchuo+City%2C+Ehime+Prefecture%29%2C+which+is+undergoing+civil+rehabilitation+proceedings.+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%3Cb%3EChip+carriers%3C%2Fb%3E+are+special+vessels+developed+to+transport+hardwood+and+softwood+chips%2C+which+are+the+main+raw+materials+for+paper.+To+transport+light+and+bulky+wood+chips%2C+these+vessels+feature+a+larger+cargo+hold+volume+than+typical+dry+bulk+carriers.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+2024%2C+no+new+ships+were+added%2C+and+the+contract+for+one+existing+vessel+expired+while+a+new+contract+for+another+existing+vessel+began.+The+average+age+of+the+vessels+increased+from+9.2+years+to+10.1+years.+The+average+cargo+hold+volume+is+3%2C914%2C000+cubic+feet.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80By+paper+company%2C+OCM+Fiber+Trading%2C+which+handles+bulk+procurements+of+imported+wood+chips+for+Oji+Group%2C+Chuetsu+Pulp+%26+Paper%2C+and+Mitsubishi+Paper+Mills%2C+had+the+largest+number+of+ships+at+24%2C+but+this+was+a+decrease+of+one+from+the+end+of+2023.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Daio+Paper%E2%80%99s+fleet+increased+by+one+to+a+total+of+10+vessels.+Nippon+Paper+Industries+has+15+vessels%2C+Hokuetsu+Corporation+has+nine+vessels%2C+and+Marusumi+Paper+has+three+vessels.+The+numbers+are+unchanged+for+these+companies.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80By+shipping+company%2C+MOL+had+the+largest+number+of+vessels+under+contract%2C+with+23+vessels.+There+was+no+change+from+the+same+period+of+the+previous+year.+The+number+for+NYK+decreased+by+one+vessel+to+21%2C+but+it+was+unchanged+and+remained+at+seven+for+%E2%80%9CK%E2%80%9DLine%2C+three+for+Hachiuma+Steamship%2C+and+one+each+for+Iino+Lines+and+Ocean+Trans.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80The+number+of+chip+carriers+owned+by+Japanese+paper+manufacturers+has+been+on+a+declining+trend+since+peaking+at+92+at+the+end+of+2008.+Due+to+factors+such+as+digitalization%2C+demand+for+printing+and+information+paper+as+well+as+newsprint+declined%2C+resulting+in+lower+production+volumes.+Accordingly%2C+the+import+volume+of+wood+chips+has+also+slowed+down.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+2024%2C+the+11+JPA+member+companies+imported+10.1+million+bone-dry+tons+of+wood+chips%2C+a+decrease+of+0.4%25+from+the+previous+year%2C+remaining+roughly+the+same+as+the+previous+year.+Production+of+paper+and+paperboard+decreased+by+1.8%25+to+21.6+million+tons.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Imports+of+hardwood+chips%2C+which+account+for+more+than+80%25+of+total+imported+wood+chips%2C+decreased+by+1.8%25+to+8.45+million+tons.+As+for+procurement+sources%2C+imports+from+Vietnam+maintained+the+top+share%2C+down+1.5%25+to+3.88+million+tons.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Taking+advantage+of+price+competitiveness+and+geographical+advantages%2C+imports+from+Thailand+increased+by+13.4%25+to+1.05+million+tons%2C+surpassing+those+from+Australia.+Imports+from+Australia+decreased+by+25.8%25+to+920%2C000+tons.+Imports+from+Indonesia+increased+by+1.9%25+to+490%2C000+tons.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Imports+of+softwood+chips+increased+by+6.9%25+to+1.65+million+tons.+Due+to+factors+such+as+a+decline+in+housing+starts%2C+the+decrease+in+the+supply+of+domestic+products+was+offset+by+imports.+Imports+from+the+United+States+increased+by+8.1%25+to+800%2C000+tons.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80According+to+paper+industry+sources%2C+wood+chip+imports+in+2025+are+expected+to+exceed+those+in+2024.+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDisclaimer%3A+The+English+translations+provided+through+this+service+are+the+result+of+translations+made+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+or+automatically+and+mechanically+translated+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+using+an+automated+translation+system+provided+by+a+third+party+after+certain+processing+of+the+Japanese+content+licensed+by+the+third+party.+In+terms+of+the+English+translation%2C+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+and+MarineNet+Co.%2C+Ltd.+make+no+warranty+or+burden+of+any+kind%2C+express+or+implied%2C+including+its+accuracy%2C+reliability%2C+validity+or+fitness+for+a+particular+purpose.+MarineNet+Users+should+fully+understand+that+this+service+uses+an+automated+translation+system+that+automatically+and+mechanically+recognizes+and+analyzes+information+and+produces+results.+The+users+should+understand+the+above+conditions+before+using+this+service.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E5%85%8D%E8%B2%AC%E4%BA%8B%E9%A0%85%EF%BC%9A%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E4%BB%8B%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%BD%9C%E6%88%90%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B%E3%80%81%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%B1%E8%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