PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Chiba
Pilot
updated Jan 2015Pilot service is compulsory for vessels exceeding 10,000GT, and is available from sunrise to 1 hour before sunset, except container vessels which may move 24 hours. Pilotage is provided by the Tokyo Bay Licensed Pilot Association. Both Bay and harbour pilots are required by law. Requests for pilots should be sent 24 hours in advance. Harbour pilots board at the entrance to the Chiba Fairway or at the entrance to the Funabashi Fairway. Pilots board LNG vessels 1nm SSW of Keiyo Sea Berth.
Key data
updated Sep 2022Size limits
Harbour: LOA 315.16m, draught 17m, beam 52m, 211,982DWT.
Offshore: LOA 348.9m, draught 19.2m, beam 60m, 322,861DWT.
Water density
1021-1025.
Load line zone
Summer.
Tides
Range max 2.1m, min 0.2m.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| JFE Steel Wharf (Southern District) | 17.00 m | 300 m | 21 |
| Fuji Oil Sodegaura Refinery | 14.54 m | 285 m | 12 |
| Cosmo Oil Chiba Refinery | 14.20 m | 253 m | 19 |
| Idemitsu Kosan Terminal | — | 235 m | 2 |
| Idemitsu Chiba Kosan Refinery | 13.90 m | 280 m | 22 |
| Kyokuto Petroleum Industries | 13.60 m | 272 m | 14 |
| Marubeni Ennex Chiba Terminal | 12.50 m | 231 m | 5 |
| Tepco Anegasaki Thermal Power Station | 12.50 m | 250 m | 2 |
| Chiba Kyodo Silo Terminal | — | 229 m | 1 |
| J-Oil Mills Terminal (CO Wharf) | — | 229 m | 1 |
| Landport Narashino | — | — | 1 |
| Mazda Terminal | — | 125 m | 1 |
| New Port Sangyo Terminal | — | 170 m | 1 |
| Shin Higashi Nihon Sugar Mfg | — | 181 m | 1 |
| Sojitz Terminal | — | 163 m | 1 |
All 81 terminals
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taiheiyo Cement Terminal (Sodegaura) | — | 82 m | 1 |
| Ube Material Terminal | — | 161 m | 3 |
| JNC Terminal | — | 74 m | 2 |
| Nihon Seiren Sodegaura | — | 181 m | 1 |
| Sodegaura LNG Terminal | 11.70 m | 315 m | 5 |
| Chiba Central Terminal | 11.00 m | 229 m | 8 |
| Yoshino Gypsum (Yoshino Sekkou) | 11.00 m | 190 m | 1 |
| Funabashi East Wharf | 10.80 m | — | 1 |
| Honda Nissin | 10.80 m | 118 m | 1 |
| Katsumata Jidousya | 10.80 m | — | 1 |
| Nittsu (Nippon Express) | 10.80 m | 200 m | 1 |
| Oji Logistics Chiba Wharf | 10.80 m | 175 m | 1 |
| Takase-Co Kubota Wharf | 10.80 m | 113 m | 1 |
| Ube-Mitsubishi Cement Terminal | 10.80 m | 126 m | 1 |
| Nihon Silos Terminal | 10.80 m | 229 m | 2 |
| NC Tokyo Bay Co., Ltd. | — | 183 m | 2 |
| KH Neo Chem Terminal (KHNC) | 10.00 m | 180 m | 1 |
| Hanwa Keiyo | 9.50 m | 100 m | 1 |
| Cabot Japan K.K. Chiba Plant | — | — | 1 |
| Sumitomo Chemical Terminal | 9.50 m | 189 m | 10 |
| Yagusu Yahata Terminal | 9.40 m | 185 m | 1 |
| Kitasode CND Basu Terminal | — | 151 m | 1 |
| South Funabashi Central Wharf | 9.00 m | 181 m | 5 |
| Mitsui Chemicals Terminal (Mitsuikagaku) | — | 115 m | 7 |
| Narita International Airport Terminal | — | 106 m | 5 |
| Asahi Glass Terminal (AGC) | — | 110 m | 4 |
| Tepco Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| Nippon Sheet Glass Terminal | — | 97 m | 1 |
| Nippon Steel & Sumitomi Metal Terminal | — | 85 m | 1 |
| North Funabashi Central Wharf | — | — | 14 |
| Sodegaurafuto Wharf | — | 100 m | 17 |
| Dezu Terminal | — | 180 m | 16 |
| Asahikasei Chemicals Terminal | — | 75 m | 1 |
| Sumitomo Chemical Anesaki Terminal | — | 80 m | 3 |
| Fuji Electric Terminal | — | 82 m | 2 |
| JSR Terminal | — | 73 m | 1 |
| Maruzen Petrochemical Chiba Plant | — | 96 m | 3 |
| Keiyo Steel Wharf (Keiyotekkou) | 6.50 m | — | 1 |
| JFE Logistics | — | — | 1 |
| JFE Welded Pipe | — | 85 m | 1 |
| Maruichi Steel Tube (Maruichi Kokan) | — | — | 2 |
| Nittetsu Steel Ichikawa | — | — | 1 |
| Ryokoh Express | — | — | 1 |
| Takeishi Sangyo Stock Yard | — | 39 m | 1 |
| Tri Net Logistics Terminal | — | 76 m | 1 |
| TTK Terminal | — | — | 2 |
| Fuji Koun ChibaTerminal | — | 78 m | 2 |
| Denki Kagaku Kogyo Terminal | — | 91 m | 2 |
| Eneos Ichikawa | 6.00 m | 125 m | 3 |
| Ichikawa Astomos Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| Toyo Gosei Takahama Tank Terminal | 6.00 m | 154 m | 3 |
| NI Chemical Terminal | 5.80 m | 108 m | 1 |
| Ichikawa Terminal | — | 125 m | 2 |
| Taiheiyo Cement South Terminal (Sodegaura) | — | 82 m | 1 |
| Sodegaura Imai Terminal | — | 74 m | 5 |
| Iwatani Gas Terminal | — | 66 m | 1 |
| TMT Terminal | — | 74 m | 1 |
| DIC Terminal | — | 70 m | 2 |
| Taiheiyo Cement Terminal (Yahata District) | — | 71 m | 1 |
| Maruzen Keiyo Oil Terminal | 5.00 m | — | 1 |
| Toray Dow Corning Terminal | — | 66 m | 2 |
| MEG Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| Fuji Koun Ichikawa Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| Kimoto Kinzoku Terminal | — | 123 m | 1 |
| Taiheiyo Cement (Centre District) | — | 135 m | 1 |
| Fujiseiyo Chibakojo Pier (Chiba Vegoil Tank Terminal) | — | 148 m | 1 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Oct 2022Approach
The port is approached from the SW through the TTBH traffic scheme. Chiba Ko Entrance Fairway, dredged to 18.0m, is entered 1.75nm NNE of Keiyo Sea Berth and leads NE into Chiba Fairway. The fairway is marked on its NW side by No 1, 3, 5 and 7 Lightbuoys and on its SE side by No 2, 4, 6, and 8 Lightbuoys. Anchoring is prohibited in Chiba Ko Entrance Fairway.
Within the port limit eight fairways lead to the main berths:
Chiba Entrance Fairway and Chiba Passage: Controlling depth 18.0m.
Shiizu Passage (35°29.8'N 139°59.1'E), controlling depth 16.0m.
Anegasaki Passage (35°31.0'N 140°00.2'E). controlling depth 16.0m.
Minami Sodegaura Fairway, controlling depth 14.0m.
Ichihara Passage (35°33.7'N 140°02.8'E), controlling depth 12.0m.
Funabashi Fairway, controlling depth 12.0m.
Kita Sodegaura Channel, controlling depth 10.5m.
Ichikawa Passage (35° 38.573'N 139° 58.322'E), controlling depth 6.5m.
Anchorages
The quarantine anchorage is situated close N of the main fairways. An area of foul ground, marked by buoys, lies close NE of the anchorage. Formalities are conducted during daylight hours only.
Restrictions
Night time berthing and unberthing is possible for certain types of vessels. The Container Terminal operates 365 days a year, loading and unloading services are now available on Sundays and vessels can enter the port at night. The berthing of tankers and vessels carrying dangerous cargoes is restricted to daylight hours.
Tugs
There are 13 tugs available; 5 x 3,200hp, 3 x 3,000hp, 4 x 2,600hp, 1 x 1,800hp.
Charts and publications
JP1086, JP1061, JP87. Admiralty Pilot NP42A, NP286(6).
Reporting before arrival
updated Feb 2011ETA and pre-arrival notices
See Country information.
Communications
VHF: Pilots and Port: Chiba Port Radio: Ch 16; 11, 12, 14, 18, 20, 22.
Harbour Master: Ch 12, 14, 22.
Pilots: Ch 11 (Harbour Pilot), Ch 68 (Bay Pilot). Tel: +81 43 242 6391.
Tugs: Ch 11.
VTS: Ch 79, 85.
Tokyo TAS: Call "Tokyo Martis", Ch 16, 13, 14, 22.
Documents
See Country information.
Health
See Country information for radio pratique.
Free pratique is normally granted at the quarantine anchorage. Radio pratique is available.
Ship Sanitation Control Certificate issued.
Notices and regulations
The movement of all vessels in Chiba Passage and Ichihara Passage is controlled. Vessels entering or leaving the port through these channels must obey signals exhibited from signal stations within the port.
Inspections
Port State Control here: Tokyo MOU.
Running now: the Paris and Tokyo MOU concentrated inspection campaign on cargo securing, 1 September to 30 November 2026. Its questions are published: the questionnaire.
ISPS
ISPS Designated Authority: Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Position: Section Chief.
Address: 2-1-3 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8918, Japan.
Tel: +81 3 5253 8070.
Fax: +81 3 5253 8134.
Email: [email protected]
For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org
Port services
updated May 2010Repairs
The shipyard and repair shops are capable of carrying out all kinds of ship fitting-out and repair work.
Bunkers, water and stores
Fresh water: Available from shore and by barge.
Bunkering: Most grades of domestic and bonded oil are available ex quay and by barge.
Stores: Available.
Medical
Chiba Port Clinic.
Transport
Nearest airport: Narita (Tokyo) International airport, 30km.
Airport facilities: Full passenger and airfreight facilities available.
Nearest railway: Chiba, 3km.
Working hours
Normally 0830-1630hrs.
About Chiba
updated Sep 2022Where it is
Chiba is situated in the north-eastern part of Tokyo Bay.
The port
Chiba is Japan's largest port, the port handles raw materials, oil, petroleum products, LNG, manufactured goods, foodstuffs and containerised general cargo.
Traffic
Approx 135,000,000t of cargo, 89,000TEU, 46,000 vessels and 4,500 passengers handled annually.
Questions about Chiba
What are the pilot arrangements at Chiba?
Pilot service is compulsory for vessels exceeding 10,000GT, and is available from sunrise to 1 hour before sunset, except container vessels which may move 24 hours.
What time zone is Chiba in?
Local time at Chiba is UTC+9. No summer time.
What is the maximum draft at Chiba?
The deepest berth listed is at JFE Steel Wharf (Southern District): 17.00 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
What is the water density at Chiba?
1021-1025.
Which load line zone is Chiba in?
Summer.
Who carries out Port State Control at Chiba?
Port State Control at Chiba: Tokyo MOU.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Chiba?
The UN/LOCODE of Chiba is JPCHB.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Chiba say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.
A planning aid, not for navigation. These facts come from public sources and each section shows how old it is. Check with the port, your agent, your ENCs and official publications. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.