Prime Minister Rabuka Visits Yokohama Port and Collaborates with Kyowa Shipping Co., Ltd

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The Hon. Sitiveni L. Rabuka, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade, Civil Service, and Public Enterprises, along with the Fiji delegation, undertook site visits to Yokohama Port and the Keihin Koyasu Shipyard in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.

(Courtesy of the Fiji Government – Prime Minister Rabuka & delegation at the APT Terminal, Yokohama Port)

The visit to the APT Terminal at Yokohama Port provided valuable insights into Japan’s shipping operations, port facilities, and infrastructure, as well as opportunities for technology transfer and innovative approaches to advancing decarbonization through new technologies. The visit aligns closely with Fiji’s need to enhance port facilities and maritime services.

Yokohama Port is a vital hub for Japan’s international logistics, handling approximately 30 percent of container traffic in Tokyo Bay and contributing around 14 percent of Japan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Since its opening in 1858, it has developed into one of Japan’s five major trading ports, equipped with world‑class infrastructure capable of accommodating 20,000 Twenty‑Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) container ships. With targeted investment from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the introduction of new systems, the port is expected to further strengthen its international competitiveness, support economic growth, and foster deeper collaboration among local governments—highlighted as a key priority in Japan’s maritime industry.

Japan’s adoption of new technologies to advance carbon neutrality resonates strongly with its national mandate to address climate action. Decarbonization pilot projects for port machinery aim to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability.

The Prime Minister also visited the Keihin Koyasu Shipyard, where he was briefed on Japan’s shipbuilding capabilities, maritime engineering, and maintenance technologies relevant to Fiji’s maritime sector.

The Prime Minister further toured Keihin Dock, a subsidiary of Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), a leader in Japan’s shipbuilding industry renowned for innovation, craftsmanship, and employee engagement. Since its establishment in 1968, the company has delivered over 150 vessels and maintains a strong market share, accounting for 30 percent of new small‑ship deliveries and 18 percent of tugboats nationwide.

Keihin Dock has played a pioneering role in maritime decarbonization, introducing Japan’s first hybrid tugboat in 2013, an LNG‑powered tugboat in 2015, and the world’s first ammonia‑fueled tugboat in 2024. With ammonia projected to account for up to 40 percent of marine fuel by 2050, the company is proactively addressing challenges related to toxicity, supply chain limitations, and regulatory alignment. Keihin Dock continues to position itself as a technological innovator and strategic contributor to Japan’s maritime future.

The Prime Minister and delegation were later hosted at a luncheon organized by Mr. Hiromitsu Takamatsu, President of Kyowa Shipping Co., Ltd., and joined by H.E. Rokuichiro Michii, Japan’s Ambassador to Fiji. The engagement provided a valuable platform for networking and strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, and shipping services. Kyowa Shipping, a close counterpart of Carpenters Fiji Limited, remains a strong supporter of the Fiji Embassy Tokyo’s outreach and exchanges.

End.

Embassy of the Republic of Fiji

TOKYO

14/11/2025