Muroran

Size limits

Harbour: LOA 329.95m, beam 57m, draught 16m, 250,950DWT.

Offshore: Max draught 16.0m, 115,811DWT.

Water density

1025.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

Range: max 1.5m; min 0.1m.

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

Approach

A fairway, depth 16.5m, leads through the harbour entrance under Hakucho Bay Bridge to the first Nippon Steel Berth No 19, maximum draught 16.0m.

The alignment 090° of leading lights (42°21.0'N 140°59.2'E) leads:

N of No 2 Lightbuoy, moored 0.5nm ESE of the head of South Inner Breakwater and No 1 Lightbuoy, moored 0.6nm E of North Inner Breakwater Light.

The alignment 124°06' of leading lights:

Front Light (42°20.3'N 140°59.1'E) (aluminium framework tower; red triangle topmark) 17m in height.

Rear Light (similar) 22m in height, 0.1nm SE of the front light, leads; between No 3 and No 4 Lightbuoys. Then as required for berthing.

Caution: At night, the various leading lights and lightbuoys, and the lights on the breakwaters, are often difficult to distinguish against lights in the background, and the breakwaters are covered at HW. Even in daylight, the large number of vessels in the harbour make it difficult to see very far ahead.

Port limits

The harbour limits extend 1nm NW from Nima Misaki (42°20.1'N 140°55.8'E), then NNE to Poroshireto Misaki.

Anchorages

Quarantine anchorage: A quarantine anchorage is established 1.5nm WNW of the harbour entrance. Fish farms are located near this anchorage.

The designated anchorage for vessels carrying dangerous cargoes is in Area No 3, holding ground good, seabed generally sand.

Good sheltered anchorage can be found in depths of 9.0m.

Inner anchorage: The bottom of both inner and outer harbours is mostly sand and provides generally good holding.

The inner harbour is well sheltered from winds from N, E and SW, but precautions must be taken against winds from W.

Anchorage is prohibited within an area extending S from the inner end of the fairway.

Restrictions

Tankers and vessels of more than 30,000t do not normally enter the port at night. Shiratori Ohashi Bridge lies approx 300m E of the outer N breakwater. It spans the fairway between the inner and outer ports districts and has a vertical clearance of 52m.The centre line of the fairway is marked by a white light, the channel edges are marked by red and green lights, exhibited from the bridge.

A submarine cable is laid form the E side of Daikoku Shima for 500m SSE to the centre of the breakwater.

An overhead cable, vertical clearance 11m, crosses the breakwater opening 700m SSE of Daikoku Shima.

Tugs

There are 7 tugs available; 3 x 3,200hp; 3 x 2,400hp; 1 x 740hp.

Charts and publications

JP16, JP1030, JP1034, BA 1800.. Admiralty Pilot NP41, NP286(6).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

See Country information.

Communications

VHF: Ch 16.

Documents

See Country information.

Health

See Country information for radio pratique.

Free Pratique: Usually vessels anchor within a circle of radius 1,000m in a position 290° x 4,200m from Daikokujima Lighthouse, where the authorities board and grant free pratique.

Notices and regulations

A moored vessel carrying a flammable and dangerous cargo is required to display a signal to this effect. Such a vessel must not be approached within 30m by other vessels.

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

All kinds of ship repairs and maintenance can be undertaken.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available from shore and barge.

Bunkering: Domestic and bonded oil are available.

Transport

Nearest airport: Sapporo, approx 110km.

Working hours

Throughout 24 hours.

Where it is

The port of Muroran is situated on the eastern part of Volcano Bay and surrounded by the Etomo Peninsula on the east coast of Hokkaido.

The port

Muroran is the principal industrial port of Hokkaido and a designated port for quarantine and entry. It has the capacity to accommodate vessel up to 280,000DWT and is situated in a natural harbour with depths of 16.5m. The port is divided into three areas: Area No 1 and 2, known as the inner harbour and area No 3, the outer harbour, separated by the Hakucho Bay Bridge.

Traffic

Approx 14,000,000t of cargo (including 2,400,000t of coal & 2,100,000t of iron ore), 6,000TEU, 40,000 passengers and 4,000 vessels handled annually.

What are the pilot arrangements at Muroran?

Not compulsory. Harbour pilots board at outer anchorage or approx 1.5nm WSW of the harbour entrance, in bad weather close to the harbour breakwater.

What time zone is Muroran in?

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

What is the maximum draft at Muroran?

The deepest berth listed is at Nippon Steel Terminal IV: 16.00 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Muroran?

1025.

Which load line zone is Muroran in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Muroran?

Port State Control at Muroran: Tokyo MOU.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Muroran?

The UN/LOCODE of Muroran is JPMUR.

What crews who called at Muroran 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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