Topic
Japan
Every Vessel Hunter story on Japan: 28 stories, from 30 June 2026 to 7 October 2026. Newest: "Japan sanctions 35 shadow fleet ships in its first vessel designations". Each story links to the ships and ports it names, so a name in the text opens the record behind it.
Japan sanctions 35 shadow fleet ships in its first vessel designations
Japan has designated 35 ships tied to Russian oil exports, its first sanctions on individual vessels: services, financing and crew supply now need permission.
Kokuka Sangyo takes delivery of Kokuryu Maru, its first methanol-fuelled tanker
Kokuka Sangyo has taken delivery of the 498 gt chemical tanker Kokuryu Maru, its first dedicated methanol-fuelled ship, which will carry methanol and bunker other ships on charter to Mitsubishi Gas Chemical.
NYK orders an Ulstein SX222 service operation vessel from PaxOcean for Asia-Pacific wind
NYK has ordered a 120-person service operation vessel from PaxOcean, to be built in Batam to an Ulstein SX222 design and deployed in Taiwan with IOVTEC and Hsin Chien Marine.
Japan Certifies $635M More in Shipbuilding Investment Plans
Japan has certified a further $635m of investment by five shipbuilders, bringing approvals to $1.4bn across eight plans in a programme aimed at doubling output by 2035.
SeaDream Orders Its First New Yacht in 25 Years at a Chinese Cruise Yard
SeaDream Yacht Club will build a 151.2-metre newbuild at China Merchants Cruise Shipbuilding, its first new ship since the two vessels it has operated since the 1980s.
Japan's 2027 Budget Request Points to Submarine-Launched Hypersonic Missiles
A preliminary defence budget request presented to the Diet refers to an underwater-launched, high-survivability missile that can be fired at an early stage and at long range.
Japan Puts $3.8bn Behind Imabari, JMU and Namura in Its First Yard Tranche
Japan's transport minister has unveiled the first investments under a plan to double national shipbuilding volume by 2035, with a total programme of about $6.4bn in public and private money.
JFE Completes Japan's First Domestically Built Offshore Wind Monopile
JFE Engineering has rolled out the first foundation for a commercial Japanese offshore wind farm from its Kasaoka plant, the country's only domestic monopile manufacturing base.
K Line Orders Three Malaccamax VLCCs at Japan's Nihon Shipyard
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha has returned to the VLCC newbuilding market with three 311,000 dwt malaccamax tankers ordered at Nihon Shipyard for delivery from 2029.
Japan Reviews Shipping Tax Package as an Economic Security Question
Japan's Maritime Bureau will consider four tax measures affecting international shipping as a single package in fiscal 2027 tax reform negotiations.
K Line Move Makes Kobe Terminal Handler of 40 Percent of Port Trade
K Line will begin operations at Kobe International Container Terminal on 1 September, a move that will see the facility handle nearly 40 percent of the port's foreign trade boxes.
Japan Opens $95m Subsidy Pot for Hydrogen, Ammonia and Battery Ships
Japan has opened a five-year subsidy programme worth $95m to accelerate orders for ships powered by hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and batteries, covering up to half the equipment cost.
Labor Shortage Caps Japan's Plan to Double Shipbuilding Capacity by 2035
Japan is putting $6.5 billion behind a plan to double shipbuilding output by 2035, but orders have fallen 15 percent this year because yards cannot staff the work.
Philippines-Japan Military Logistics Pact Enters Into Force
A defence pact allowing Japan and the Philippines to exchange military supplies and services has come into force, deepening a security partnership shaped by China's regional activity.
Japan Convenes Yards, Owners and JERA to Restart LNG Carrier Building
Japan's transport ministry has brought Imabari, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Namura and JERA together to put numbers on order volumes, yard investment and costs for domestic LNG carrier construction.
One Worker Dies in Tanker Fire at Kanasashi Shipyard in Shizuoka
A man in his 40s died and nine were hospitalised after fire broke out inside a 955-tonne tanker at Kanasashi Heavy Industries in Shizuoka, with welding work under investigation.
Foreign-Build Plan for U.S. Warships Meets Congressional Resistance
A White House memorandum would allow the first two ships of a U.S. Navy series to be built in South Korea or Japan, drawing objections from lawmakers in shipbuilding districts.
Japan Takes Delivery Of Large Hybrid Cable Laying Vessel
A Japanese contractor has taken delivery of a 150 metre hybrid cable laying vessel with 9,000 tonnes of carousel capacity, in a project valued above 200 million dollars.
Japan Commits Public And Private Funds To Shipbuilding Revival
Japan is committing public and private funds to a shipbuilding revival, targeting a trillion-yen investment and roughly double the output by 2035.
Japanese Owner's Quarterly Profit Rises Despite Weaker Container Contribution
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines lifted first-quarter net profit by around sixteen percent as dry bulk swung to profit and the container contribution shrank.
Chinese And Russian Warships Complete Circumnavigation Of Japan
A joint Chinese and Russian naval group has completed a circumnavigation of Japan and its outer islands, tracked throughout by Japanese destroyers and maritime patrol aircraft.
Japanese regional banks merge to create $12.8bn ship finance heavyweight
Two of Japan's most significant regional maritime lenders, Iyogin Holdings and Ehime Bank, have agreed to work toward a merger that would create a combined ship finance book worth $12.8 billion.
Philippines confirms deal to acquire five Japanese Abukuma-class escorts
The Philippines has agreed to acquire five soon-to-be-retired Abukuma-class destroyer escorts from Japan, boosting its navy while new warships are built.
Barrelet takes the helm at ONE
Till Ole Barrelet has taken over as chief executive of Ocean Network Express, succeeding founding boss Jeremy Nixon at the world's sixth-largest containerline.
Nissen Kaiun closes in on double-digit bulker sell-off
Japan's Nissen Kaiun is nearing double-digit vessel sales for the first half of 2026, with the 183,000 dwt Lady Deena reportedly sold to Chinese buyers for around $70m.
Equinor pulls out of Japan offshore wind market
Equinor is ending its offshore wind activities in Japan and will close its Tokyo office by the end of 2026, citing a strategic refocus on integrated power markets.
Modec bags work on Mozambique's next FLNG development
Modec will supply the SOFEC internal turret mooring system for Eni's Coral Norte FLNG project off Mozambique, which is set to double the Coral hub's capacity to 7m tonnes a year.
Engine shortage returns to haunt shipyards — now with AI bidding for the same parts
A shortage of marine engines is quietly capping shipyard output, echoing the 2007 boom. The new twist: AI data centres are now bidding for generator sets from the same supply chain.
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