Kudamatsu

Size limits

Draught 19.0m, 100,000DWT.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

Range, average 2.5m.

Tidal streams: In Tokuyama Wan the tidal streams turn shortly after the times of HW and LW. In the main entrance to the bay between Su Shima and Iwa Shima, the spring rate of both streams is approx 1.75kts, but in the middle of the bay they do not exceed 0.5kt.

On the rising tide the stream divides after passing through the main entrance; one branch flows N through Nakayano Seto and then NE, and the other branch flows W through Senshima Suido; the two branch streams meet N of Kurokami Shima where no stream is experienced.

Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.

Approach

Tokuyama-Kudamatsu Ko comprises the area embraced by Tokuyama Wan and Kasado Wan.

Approaches to Tokuyama Wan:

No 1 Fairway Lightbuoy and Tokuyama No 2 Lightbuoy (both safe water), moored 0.8nm and 1.0nm respectively S of the harbour entrance mark the S approach to Tokuyama Wan.

No Shima (33°56.0'N 131°42.0'E) lies in the SW approach to Tokuyama Wan and is a flat topped islet, 75m high. A Racon transmits from the light which is exhibited at the S end of No Shima and an auxiliary light illuminates a beacon standing on Omo Se, which dries 3.1m, 0.7nm SSW.

A light is exhibited at the head of a breakwater at No Shima Ko on the W side of No Shima. A water pipeline and two submarine cables are laid from No Shima NNW to the mainland shore. A power cable is laid from No Shima NNE to Uwa Shima.

Hira Shima and Oki Shima lie within 0.6nm N of No Shima, the three islets joined by drying reefs.

Hiburi Saki (33°55.6'N 131°49.2'E) an islet with two summits covered with pine trees, lies at the Sextremity of Kasado Shima. A light is exhibited from a white round concrete tower, which stands on the islet.

Tokuyama Wan No 3 Area:

The main deep water channel into Tokuyama Bay from S lies between Su Shima and Iwa Shima. It is approx 0.5nm wide and has depths exceeding 30m. Except for a channel 200m wide with a depth of 6.4m, the passage between Iwa Shima and Sukumo Shima is obstructed by reefs. A buoy (special mark) is moored 0.15nm NNE of Iwa Shima Light Tower.

Tokuyama Wan No 1 Area:

Senshima Suido, the N channel into No 1 Area of Tokuyama Wan is entered at No 3 Lightbuoy (port hand) between the N side of Kurokami Shima and reclaimed land on the mainland to the N. The channel is buoyed and dredged to a depth of 9.0m. Two beacons situated on the NE side of Kurokami Shima, in line astern bearing 223.5° lead through the second leg of Sensima Suido.

Toyo Soda Basin lies on the W side of Toyo Soda Wharf. A pair of leading lights, in line bearing 311.5° leads into a basin situated SW of Toyo Soda Basin.

Tokuyama Soda Nanyo Wharf lies on the E side of a basin entered 0.3nm N of Su Hana, the NE extremity of Sen Shima, a pair of leading lights, in line bearing 004.5°, lead into this basin. Okino Ikada, a reef partly above water, lies 0.1nm E of Su Hana, a light is exhibited from a white round concrete tower standing on the reef.

A buoyed channel, dredged to 12.0m, leads from No 3 Area to Harumi Wharf situated 0.5nm ESE of Okino Ikada. The channel is entered between No 1 and No 2 Lightbuoys (port and starboard hand) moored 0.3nm NE of the E limit of the quarantine anchorage. The channel divides N of Harumi Wharf, one branch leading to the E end of Senshima Suido and the other NNE to Tokuyama Soda Quay. A pair of leading beacons (triangular topmark), in line bearing 020.25° leads to this quay. A seabed tunnel leads under the fairway.

A fairway entered close E of No 1 Lightbuoy (port hand) and No 2 Lightbuoys moored close E of Sa Shima (34°01'N 131°48'E), 75m high, lying 0.5nm off the NW side of the N part of Oshima Hanto, leads to the E part of No 1 Area.

No 3 Lightbuoy (port hand) is moored 0.7nm NE of Sa Shima.

Nachi wharf lies in the N corner of this part of No 1 Area, 1.25nm N of Sa Shima. The Harbour Office and Port Radio Station are situated on this wharf.

Idemitsu Kosan Oil Refinery, with numerous tanks and chimneys, extends along the shore situated to the SE of Nachi Wharf. Several piers project from this part of the shore and there is a boat harbour at Kushigahama on the E side of the bay.

Kasado Wan No 3 Area:

Kasado Wan, the E part of No 3 Tokuyama-Kudamatsu Ko, lies between the SE side of Oshima Hanto and the NW side of Kasado Shima, 0.2nm SE.

The SW or main entrance to Kasado Wan is divided into two channels by a chain of islets and rocks. Of these, Shimokozu Se (33°57.5'N 131°47.0'E) dark and 2.0m high, is the most W'ly rock of the chain.

Kimikozu Se, light grey and 10m high, lies on a shoal 0.3nm ESE of Shimokozu Se, Furu Shima, 58m high and covered with pine trees, lies 0.5nm E of Kamikozu Se. Myoken Dashi, a rocky 3.6m patch and Tsukuka Se, a pinnacle rock with depth less than 2.0m, lie 0.3nm SW and 0.4nm E of Furu Shima. A lightbuoy (safe water) is moored 0.3nm NNE of Furu Shima.

Within Kasado Wan is the W of two bays on the NW side of Kasado Shima. Enoura lies at the head of the E of the two bays.

Nakamo is a shoal that occupies a large portion of the N part of Kasado Wan. It's often covered on seaweed with the shoalest part having a depth of 5.7m. Breakwaters and a submerged jetty lie in Hanagura Ura 0.3nm SE of Hanagura beacon.

Kasado Wan No 2 Area:

The No 2 Area of Tokuyama-Kudamatsu Ko lies in the NE part of Kasado Wan. The city of Kudamatsu lies at the head of the bay with an oil refinery at it's SE end. Sueto Kawa flows into the bay close W of the city.

Kudumatsu Gyoko, protected by two breakwaters, lies on the W side of the mouth of Suetake Kawa. A light is exhibited at the head of the W breakwater.

Kudamatsu No 2 Wharf and Kudamatsu No1 Wharf lie, respectively, on the W and E sides of the mouth of Kirito Kawa, which flows into the bay 1.0nm E of Suetake Kawa.

The controlling depth in the approach channel leading to Kudamatsu Wharves is 10.5m.

Tokuyama Kudamatsu Ko No 4 Area:

No 4 area lies to the E of Kasado Shima. A quarantine anchorage lies close off the E side of Kasado Shima. Nippon Sekiyu New Oil Refinery lies 0.7nm NE of Kamaishi Misaki (33°58'E 131°53'E). Nippon Sekiyu sea berths project from the S end of the refinery. Lights are exhibited on the pier head and from the dolphins at each end of the berth. The berth has the protection of a submersible oil boom. An area of land has been reclaimed and developed for industrial use 0.3nm SE of the refinery.

Two leading beacons (red and white columns, red triangular topmarks), in line bearing 019° lead towards the sea berth. No 1 and No 3 Lightbuoys (port hand) are moored on the W side of the alignment respectively 0.7nm S and 0.2nm ENE of Kamaishi Misaki. Tera Saki lies 0.8nm NNW of Kamaishi Misaki and a lightbuoy (port hand) is moored close NE of it. Nakano Se, with a least depth of 11.3m, lies 0.1nm N of Tera Saki.

Nippon Sekiyu South Pier is situated on the mainland 0.5nm N of Tera Saki. Six red mooring buoys, some exhibiting red lights, lie off the pier.

Miyano Seto, between Seto Misaki (33°59.2'N 131°51.6'E), the N extremity of Kasado Shima, and Miyanosu Hana, a narrow tongue of land extending WSW from the mainland, is the SE approach to Kudamatsu.

Miyano Seto is deep but only 200m wide. It is spanned by a bridge and overhead cable with vertical clearances of 23m and 26m respectively. The centre of the bridge is illuminated at night and marked by red, white and green lights.

Hikari Ko (33°57'N 131°56'E) is a narrow basin entered on the E side of the mouth of Shimata Kawa. A light is exhibited from the head of a breakwater forming the W side of the entrance. A jetty, with a dolphin at each end and a depth of 11.3m alongside, lies on the SE side of the entrance to the basin. A lightbuoy is moored close S of the S end of the jetty.

Ominase Shima, 83m high, lies 0.25nm S of the entrance to Hikari Ko. A light is exhibited from a white concrete tower on its S end.

Kominase Shima, consisting of two islets, lies on a reef extending 0.4nm NW from the N end of Ominase Shima and is connected to it by a breakwater. A small harbour protected by a breakwater lies 1.25nm SE of Hikari Ko. a light is exhibited on the head of the breakwater.

Anchorages

Kudamatsu loading anchorage is in the vicinity of 33°59.16'N 131°51.07'E.

The quarantine anchorage lies in Tokuyama and there is also another quarantine anchorage in No 4 Area SE of Kasado Shima.

Deep draught vessels should anchor S of the entrance to Tokuyama Wan. Anchorage is possible almost anywhere in Tokuyama Wan, taking care to avoid the various submarine pipelines and submarine cables.

Kasado Wan Anchorage: Vessels can anchor anywhere in Kasado Wan in depths from 11.0m to 16.0m, mud with good holding ground.

A quarantine anchorage lies close off the E side of Kasado Shima.

Dangerous cargoes: There is a designated anchorage for vessels carrying dangerous cargoes in the N section of Area No 1, in the NW part of Area No 2 and Areas No 3 and 4.

The depths in the S part of the bay are from 11.0-18.0m, mud, and in the N part less than 10.0m.

Restrictions

Entry into the port occurs at anytime. Sailing is possible until 2200hrs from anchorage if a pilot is required.

Tugs

There are 8 tugs available; 2 x 4,000hp, 5 x 3,300hp, 1 x 2,000hp.

Charts and publications

BA 3153. Admiralty Pilot NP42B, NP286(6).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

See Country information.

Communications

Harbour and pilots: Call "Tokuyama-Kudamatsu Port Radio" Ch 16, 11, 12, 18.

Documents

See Country information.

Health

See Country information for radio pratique.

Free pratique: Usually vessels anchor at the quarantine anchorage in Tokuyama (34°00'N 131°45'E), where the authorities board and grant free pratique. Occasionally the formalities will be carried out at the Kudamatsu-Hikari quarantine anchorage (33°58.05'N 131°51.05'E).

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

Repairs

Minor repairs can be undertaken at Kasado Dockyard in Enoura.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available from shore at Kudamatsu No 2 Public wharf and by barge from Tokuyama when required.

Bunkering: Major oil companies are represented and all grades of marine oil can usually be delivered by barge.

Stores: Available

Medical

No advance notice required. Good medical and dental facilities are available, which include 5 hospitals in the Tokuyama area.

Where it is

Kudamatsu is situated on the Inland Sea coast of Honshu facing Kyushu over Suo-Nada.

The port

The port has a good natural harbour with deep water and is a harbour of refuge in the event of a typhoon. The port handles crude oil, iron, steel and machinery.

Traffic

Approx 48,000,000t of cargo, (including 11,000,000t of coal) 150,000TEU, 22,000 vessels and 61,000 passengers (merged traffic figures with Kudamatsu port) handled annually.

What are the pilot arrangements at Kudamatsu?

Not compulsory. Pilots are available at the quarantine anchorage for vessels requiring pilot services.

What time zone is Kudamatsu in?

Local time at Kudamatsu is UTC+9. No summer time.

Which load line zone is Kudamatsu in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Kudamatsu?

Port State Control at Kudamatsu: Tokyo MOU.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Kudamatsu?

The UN/LOCODE of Kudamatsu is JPKUD.

What crews who called at Kudamatsu 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.

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