A pilot of off-peak shuttle transport will begin at Tokyo Port on 9 November. Specialized shuttle operators will handle transport between depots and terminals within the port to test whether congestion can be reduced and efficiency improved.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has finalized the participants in the off-peak shuttle transport pilot project starting at Tokyo Port on 9 November. A total of 23 companies, including 10 shippers and freight forwarders and 6 trucking companies, will participate in 4 groups. Under the arrangement, shuttle operators within the port will transport containers between the terminals and Tokyo Port depots, and the use of shared chassis is also being considered. The pilot will run for 6 weeks from 9 November through 8 January 2027, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the year-end peak period.
The report also discusses improvements and issues relating to waiting times. As a congestion measure to date, it cites a reduction in the waiting distance from 1.26 km in 2011 to 0.36 km in 2023. However, gate waiting times remain lengthy during the pilot period, with multiple cases of waiting times lasting several hours at A2 and A3.