Mitsui Chemicals Wins Award for Eco-Friendly Logistics Technology at 20th Logistics Environment Award

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo: 4183; President & CEO: Tsutomu Tannowa) today announced that it won the Award for Development of Technology that Reduces the Environmental Impact for Logistic Operations on May 24 together with Sankyu Inc. (President: Kimihiro Nakamura), conferred as part of the Japan Association for Logistics and Transport’s (JALoT; Chairman: Shuji Tamura) 20th Logistics Environment Award. Mitsui Chemicals and Sankyu were recognized for their environmental measures focused on promoting a modal shift to domestic sea freight and on improving loading efficiency in the shipping of synthetic resin, using 500-kilogram flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs).

Mitsui Chemicals had previously used trucks to ship synthetic resin from Chiba Prefecture to Hiroshima Prefecture in 500-kilogram FIBCs. However, as the particular nature of the product did not allow the FIBCs to be stacked in two tiers, the 12-ton trucks were only able to carry eight tons of the product placed in a single layer. The truck load factor could therefore not be increased beyond 67 percent, posing a challenge to efforts toward improving load efficiency.

Accordingly, Mitsui Chemicals produced – with registered design rights on – a dedicated rack to enable the FIBCs to be stacked in two tiers, along with a special 20-foot high-cube container that has been registered as a utility model. The containerization of the cargo made it possible to improve loading efficiency and achieve a modal shift to the use of domestic container ships.

These moves demonstrated consideration for the environment through the resulting reduction in CO₂ emissions, contribution to driver workstyle reform through reduced labor requirements and the realization of greater stability in freighting.

Mitsui Chemicals will continue striving to achieve further reductions in the environmental burden posed by logistics.