The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism published the overview of the Domestic Shipping Statistics Monthly Report for April 2025.
Cargo transport volume by domestic vessels in April 2025 increased 2.3% compared to the same month last year, with total transport volume reaching 28.47 million tons. By commodity, petroleum products increased 4.1% year-on-year to 8.97 million tons, cement increased 3.8% to 2.85 million tons, and steel increased 2.7% to 4.12 million tons, showing increasing trends in major commodities.
Analysis by transport distance shows short-distance transport (under 500km) accounted for 68.4% of the total, up 1.8% year-on-year. Medium-distance transport (500-1000km) increased 2.9% and long-distance transport (over 1000km) increased 3.1%, with increases across all distance ranges. This reflects steady progress in domestic manufacturing production activities.
By region, Pacific coast transport volume is highest, accounting for 45.2% of the total. This is followed by the Seto Inland Sea at 28.7%, the Sea of Japan at 15.3%, and other sea areas at 10.8%. Particularly on the Pacific coast, transport demand for industrial products and raw materials is high, recording a 3.2% increase compared to the same month last year.
In terms of vessel numbers, out of a total of 8,247 vessels, cargo ships account for 5,632 vessels (68.3%) and tankers for 2,615 vessels (31.7%). Vessel aging is progressing, with vessels over 20 years old accounting for 42.1% of the total, making vessel renewal and modernization a challenge.
The article shows that domestic shipping, an important carrier of domestic logistics, demonstrates solid transport performance while requiring responses to structural issues such as vessel aging and personnel shortages.