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Japan Coast Guard News

14 Mar 2024

NYK Receives Data Management Award

Source: NYK

NYK received the grand award at Data Management 2024 hosted by the Japan Data Management Consortium (JDMC) on March 8.JDMC established the Data Management Award in 2014 to publicize data management's role and importance and share pioneering know-how.NYK has been developing and utilizing data lakes - a data management system for data utilization and analysis. They are suitable for collecting and storing vast amounts of data, regardless of the format or scale of the data to be stored.NYK…

25 Jan 2023

Cargo Ship Sinks Off Japan, Leaving Two Dead, Nine Missing

(Photo: Japan Coast Guard)

Two people died and nine were missing after a cargo ship sank off southwestern Japan early on Wednesday amid fierce winter winds, the coast guard said, as it continued to search for survivors.Six people who were rescued remained unconscious, while five had revived as of 8:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT), the Japan Coast Guard said, partly citing information from its South Korean counterpart.The 6,651-tonne Hong Kong-registered Jintian - which had 22 crew on board who were Chinese or Myanmar nationals according to media reports - issued a distress call late on Tuesday…

30 Aug 2021

Bow Section of Broken Up Ship Crimson Polaris Towed to Shore

Credit: Japanese Coast Guard (Image published earlier in August)

The Crimson Polaris wood-chip carrier's bow section was towed into Japan's Hachinohe Port and moored there on August 27, according to the ship's charterer NYK. The Crimson Polaris split up after running aground near Hachinohe, Japan earlier this month."Due to the weather and sea conditions, the work to remove the oil from the bow of the vessel at sea was expected to take a long time, and in order to make the work smoother and safer, the shipowner and ship-management company towed and moored the vessel in Hachinohe Port with the understanding and cooperation of the local government…

12 Aug 2021

Wood-chip Carrier Runs Aground Off Japan. Hull Splits in Two, Oil Spills into Ocean

Credit; Japanese Coast Guard

Crimson Polaris / Credit: Japanese Coast GuardPanama-flagged Crimson Polaris wood-chip carrier ran aground off Hachinohe in Aomori prefecture at around 7:35 am (JST) on August 11, after being swept away by a strong wind while anchored, NYK, the charterer of the vessel, said.The hull of the 199-meter vessel then split in two at 4:15 am on August 12, and oil from the vessel has spilled into the ocean. The amount is currently under investigation, NYK said.The split hull is about 4 kilometers offshore…

27 Jul 2021

94-meter Multi-Role Response Vessel for Philippine Coast Guard Launched

Credit: Embassy of Japan in the Philippines

Officials from Japan and the Philippines on Monday virtually attended the launching ceremony of the 94-meter Multi-Role Response Vessel (MRRV) at the shipyard of the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Japan.The ceremony was attended by Koshikawa Kazuhiko, the Japanese ambassador in Manila, the Philippines' Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral George Villareal Ursabia, Jr.Ambassador Koshikawa conveyed his wish that the MRRV will play a vital role in maritime law enforcement and marine environment in the Philippines…

07 Oct 2019

North Korean Fishing Boat's Crew Rescued After Collision

Japan rescued about 60 North Korean crew members from a fishing boat that sank after it collided with a Japanese patrol boat that was chasing it out of Japanese waters, the Japan Coast Guard said on Monday.All the crew members that abandoned the fishing boat were rescued and handed over to another North Korean ship, the Coast Guard said.The collision between the North Korean vessel and a patrol ship from Japan's Fisheries Agency took place 350 km (220 miles) northwest of Noto peninsula in central Japan.Following the collision shortly after 9:00 a.m. (0000 GMT), the Fisheries Agency and Coast Guard mobilised seven ships and aircraft to search for North Korean crew members.The Coast Guard did not give details about how the two vessels crashed in the Sea of Japan…

05 Dec 2018

Interview: Shuichi Iwanami, Commandant, Japan Coast Guard

Shuichi Iwanami, Commandant, Japan Coast Guard. Photo: JCG

As the Japan Coast Guard celebrates its 70th anniversary, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News offers insights on the current status and future direction of the JCG courtesy of an interview with Shuichi Iwanami, Commandant, Japan Coast Guard.*Note: At the time this interview was conducted, Shuichi Iwanami was still Vice Commandant for Operations.Could you please tell us the history and future development of the Japan Coast Guard (JCG)?The JCG, in 2018 celebrates the 70th anniversary of its foundation. When it was founded, the Japanese waters were in an eclipse period.

18 Sep 2018

Japan Coast Guard Honors MOL Vessels

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that six MOL-operated/managed vessels have received commendations from the commanders of the 3rd and 4th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of the Japan Coast Guard (JCG).Vessels commended by 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters are: VLCC Altair Trader, VLCC Yufusan, VLCC M. Star, LNG carrier Energy Advance, and LNG carrier Energy Frontier. The vessel commended by 4th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters is VLCC Shizukisan.To mark Japan Hydrography Day, the commanders of the Regional Coast Guard Headquarters presented testimonials to individuals and organizations that have contributed to marine information services (assisting with research related to the sea and marine information).

22 Feb 2018

Oil from Sunken Tanker Sanchi Reached Japan's Shores

(Photo: Japan Coast Guard)

Oil that reached islands in southern Japan earlier this month is highly likely to have come from the sunken Iranian tanker Sanchi, the Japan Coast Guard said on Thursday. Samples of oily matter that washed up on Feb. 8 on the shores of the Okinoerabu and Yoron islands in the Amami chain were found to be linked to the Sanchi's sinking, the Coast Guard said. The Sanchi sank on Jan. 14 after colliding with a freighter on Jan. 6 in the world's worst oil tanker disaster in decades.

17 Jan 2018

Iranian Tanker Produces 2 Slicks in East China Sea

An Iranian oil tanker that sank in the East China Sea has left two oil slicks covering a combined 109 square km (42 square miles), the Chinese government said, as maritime police scoured for damage and prepared to explore the wreck. Satellite imaging showed a slick of 69 square km (26.6 square miles) and a second 40 square km (15.4 square miles) slick, which is less thick and not as concentrated, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said in a statement late on Tuesday. The large tanker Sanchi (IMO:9356608) sank in the worst oil ship disaster in decades on Sunday, raising worries about damage to the marine ecosystem. The bodies of two sailors were recovered from the ship while a third body was pulled from the sea near the vessel. The remaining 29 crew of the ship are presumed dead.

16 Jan 2018

Japan: Little Chance Sanchi Oil Slick Reaches Its Coast

(Photo: Iranian Ports & Maritime Organization)

Japan sees little chance of the oil spill from a stricken Iranian tanker that sank on Sunday in the East China Sea reaching its shores, an official at the nation’s environment ministry said on Tuesday. The large tanker Sanchi (IMO:9356608) sank in the worst oil ship disaster in decades and produced a large oil slick, Chinese media and Japanese authorities said on Monday, as worries grew over damage to the marine ecosystem. The vessel’s crew of 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis are all believed to have perished in the incident.

15 Jan 2018

Stricken Tanker Sinks, Leaves Large Slick in East China Sea

Two bodies, black box recovered from tanker before sinking; Iran says remaining 29 crew, passengers presumed dead. A stricken Iranian tanker that sank in the East China Sea on Sunday in the worst oil ship disaster in decades has produced a large oil slick, Chinese media and Japanese authorities said on Monday, as worries grew over damage to the marine ecosystem. The tanker Sanchi (IMO:9356608) had been adrift and ablaze after crashing into the freighter CF Crystal (IMO:9497050) on Jan. 6. Strong winds had pushed it away from the Chinese coast, where the incident happened, and into Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Japan Coast Guard said oil had spread over an area 13 km (8.1 miles) long and 11 km (6.8 miles) wide…

12 Jan 2018

Burning Tanker Drifts into Japan's Economic Zone

(Photo: NIOC)

A stricken Iranian oil tanker continued exploding on Friday, hampering rescue efforts, Chinese state media reported, as Japan's Coast Guard said the ship drifted away from the Chinese coast and into Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The ship, which has been ablaze for almost a week since it collided with another vessel on Saturday night in the East China Sea, was about 286 km (178 miles) northwest of Sokkozaki on the island of Amami Oshima as of 0700 GMT on Friday, the Japan Coast Guard said in a statement.

27 Sep 2017

MPA, ReCAAP Join in Combating Piracy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA Japan) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), in cooperation with the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC), jointly launched the inaugural Capacity Building Executive Programme on combating piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia in Singapore. The Capacity Building Executive Programme—targeted at senior-level personnel with 10 to 15 years of experience and above in maritime enforcement—will see ReCAAP Contracting Parties from ASEAN (Cambodia, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), together with representatives from Indonesia and Malaysia as dialogue partners, participate in a 10-day training held both in Singapore and Japan from September 27 to October 6, 2017.

18 Sep 2017

SAR is Global Responsibility: IMO

​Search and rescue (SAR) is a humanitarian process, aimed at assisting persons in distress, without regard to the nationality or circumstances of the persons in distress. International Maritime Organization (IMO) 's Chris Trelawny highlighted this global responsibility, during the first Coast Guard Global Summit, jointly hosted by the Japan Coast Guard and Tokyo-based Nippon Foundation, in Tokyo (14 September). He also outlined the international legal framework for SAR; the implementation of effective SAR systems; and the need for and benefit of international and inter-regional cooperation for effective SAR on a global basis. Search and rescue officials from more than 30 countries attended the summit.

13 Sep 2017

JCG Praises MOL Vessels

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that 15 MOL-operated / managed vessels won commendations from the commanders of the 3rd and 5th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of Japan Coast Guard (JCG). To mark Japan Hydrography Day (September 12), the commanders of the Regional Coast Guard Headquarters presented testimonials to individuals and organizations that have contributed to marine information services (assisting with research related to the sea and marine information). This year, MOL's vessels won praise for their significant contributions to the coast guard's marine information services by providing observed data on seawater temperature and oceanic currents over many years, and 15 of them were selected for the commendation.

13 Sep 2017

Japanese Navy Ship Teruzuki Visits India

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Ship Teruzuki visited Kochi from 09 to 11 September 2017. Captain Masashi Kondo, Commander Escort Division Six is sailing onboard JS Teruzuki, a destroyer which is being commanded by Commander Seiichi Hashimoto. Captain Masashi Kondo, Commander Escort Division Six accompanied by the Commanding Officer of Japanese Ship Teruzuki had called on Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, VSM, the Chief Staff Officer (Training) of Southern Naval Command (SNC) on 09 September 2017 wherein professional subjects of common interest to both navies were discussed. On 10 September 2017, Atsushi Miura, Superintendent Japan Coast Guard…

30 Jun 2017

Japan Investigators Unlikely to be Granted Access to Fitzgerald Crew

The United States will likely bar Japanese investigators from interviewing USS Fitzgerald crew manning the guided missile destroyer when it was struck by a cargo ship in Japanese waters killing seven American sailors, a U.S. navy official said. The Philippines-flagged container ship ACX Crystal and the U.S. warship collided at night just south of Tokyo Bay on June 17. The U.S. deaths were the greatest loss of life on a U.S. Navy vessel since the USS Cole was bombed by militants in Yemen's Aden harbour in 2000. No one was hurt on the cargo ship. At least six investigations are being carried out, including two U.S. Navy internal hearings and one by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The Philippines government is also conducting an investigation. The U.

26 Jun 2017

US Warship Stayed on Collision Course despite Warning

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) returns to Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka following a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan. (U.S. Navy photo by Peter Burghart)

A U.S. warship struck by a container vessel in Japanese waters failed to respond to warning signals or take evasive action before a collision that killed seven of its crew, according to a report of the incident by the Philippine cargo ship's captain. Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are under way into how the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17.

20 Jun 2017

USCG Interviews Containership Crew after Warship Collision

The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) returns to Fleet Activities Yokosuka following a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan, June 17, 2017. (U.S. Navy photo by Peter Burghart)

The United States Coast Guard will on Tuesday start interviewing the crew of a Philippines-flagged container ship which collided with a U.S. warship in Japanese waters killing seven American sailors. The U.S. coast guard investigation is one several into the incident on Saturday involving the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the much larger ACX Crystal. The cause of the collision at night and in clear weather is not known. "We are scheduled to interview the crew members," said U.S. Lieutenant Scott Carr told Reuters, referring the crew of the merchant ship.

16 Jun 2017

Missing US Navy Sailor Found Alive

U.S. Navy Petty Officer Peter Mims, missing for a week and feared to have fallen overboard from USS Shiloh into the Philippine Sea, has been found alive aboard the ship. (U.S. Navy photo by Pat Morrissey)

A U.S. Navy sailor feared to have fallen overboard has been found alive aboard USS Shiloh (CG 67) a week after he went missing. Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) 3rd Class Peter Mims was reported missing June 8 and was presumed to have fallen overboard in the Philippine Sea, triggering a search involving U.S. Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Japan Coast Guard assets that lasted more than 50 hours and covered some 5,500 square miles. The ocean search was suspended on June 11, but the ship’s crew continued to search on board the vessel.

12 Jun 2017

US Navy Sailor Missing off Japan

U.S. Navy and Japanese ships and aircraft are searching for a sailor reported missing from USS Shiloh (CG 67) about 180 miles east of Okinawa, June 8. USS Shiloh (CG 67) reported a man overboard at approximately 9:30 p.m. JST. The ship was conducting routine operations at the time of the incident. Multiple searches of the ship were conducted, but were unable to locate the sailor. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft from USS Shiloh, USS McCampbell (DDG 85) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), as well as a P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, are conducting an airborne search while Shiloh, McCampbell, Reagan, USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) and Japanese Coast Guard Ship Kudaka conduct a surface search.

18 Aug 2016

Japan, China, South Korea Plan Maritime Talks

China is working with Japan and South Korea to arrange foreign minister talks next week, pairing a hard-line stance on maritime issues with a greater willingness for dialogue, says a report in SCMP. The Tokyo Shimbun daily said the three countries were making arrangements for the meeting to be held on Aug. 23 and 24 in Tokyo to lay the groundwork for a three-way summit that Tokyo is set to host this year. According to Reuters, last month, a senior Japanese foreign ministry official said Japan was considering holding the meeting in late August, but the flare-up in Sino-Japanese tension had fueled concern it was difficult to have such a meeting now.