Modal shift to rail transport reduces CO2 emissions by 65%

Topy Industries Ltd. (Head office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and CEO: Hiromi Ishii; hereinafter referred to as "Topy Industries") has established the "Modal Shift Toyohashi Kitakami Container Transport Council" together with I-Tech Corporation (Head office: Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture; Representative Director, President and CEO Daisuke Ohata; hereinafter referred to as "I-Tech"), Japan Freight Railway Company (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, Representative Director, President and CEO Operating Officer Shin Inukai) , Hamamatsu Deutsche Transport K.K. (Head office: Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan; Representative Director, President: Shunsuke Onogi) Sanpachigo Transportation Co., Ltd. (Head office: Yahaba-cho, Shiwa-gun, Iwate Prefecture; Representative Director, President and CEO: Yukihiko Kamijo) to implement a modal shift to utilize rail for the transportation of steel materials.

This initiative aims to promote a modal shift that incorporates rail transport in order to reduce CO2 emissions and improve logistics efficiency. Specifically, part of the product transport process for steel materials products used in construction and civil engineering manufactured at Topy Industries' Toyohashi Plant (Aichi Prefecture) to I-Tech Kitakami D.M.C. (Iwate Prefecture) will be switched from conventional trailer transport to rail transport using newly constructed 31-ft containers. This is expected to reduce overall transport CO2 emissions by 65% (approximately 170 tons/year) ^*1. In addition, by reducing the driving time of long-distance trailer transport by 61% (2,256 hours/year), and reducing the burden on drivers, this will also contribute greatly to addressing the 2024 logistics problem ^*2.

 

This initiative has been certified as a comprehensive efficiency plan based on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's "Logistics Comprehensive Efficiency Act," and has been adopted as an "urgent measure project for accelerating modal shift" and "project to promote modal shift, etc."

The main line transport from Nishi-Hamamatsu Station to Morioka Freight Terminal Station will be switched to rail, with trailer transport covering the 89km before and after.

 

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A combination of the words "shift" and "conversion" (mode) of transportation, it refers to switching to freight railroads and ships, which are capable of large-volume transportation and have less environmental impact compared to vehicle transportation such as trucks. In terms of CO2 emissions, freight railroad transportation is said to have about one-tenth the amount of CO2 emissions from truck transportation and about one-half the amount of ship transportation (see the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism website), and promoting "modal shift" is expected to reduce the environmental impact. In addition, it can reduce the long-distance driving of truck drivers, which has attracted attention as a way to help reduce the burden on truck drivers, which has become a major social issue in recent years.

Topy Industries and I-Tech each built two 31ft open-top containers, for a total of four. The top and sides of the containers are openable, allowing loading and unloading with cranes and forklifts. After steel materials are loaded, they are transported covered with freight car sheets for safety and product protection. Additionally, as a transport quality measure, the containers are equipped with rubber packing to prevent rainwater from entering.

 

 

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