Kobe Steel Reducing Transportation Impact

Kobe Steel, one of Japan’s leading steel manufacturers, has a number of programs in place to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. One focus has been on been on improving the shipping of steel. The company conducted a five-year demonstration experiment in using ships to transport steel plates to the Chubu Region, the central part of Japan that includes Nagoya city, rather than using trucks, which are less efficient for transporting heavy loads. The company also makes an effort to ship materials by railways when appropriate.

The company also improves the efficiency of transporting its steel products by selecting optimal transport routes, by improving distribution infrastructure such as vertical automated warehouses, and by upgrading distribution information systems such as a ship allocation system.