The Portal Site for Ferries and Cruise Ships

Long haul ferries which ply between Hokkaido and Honshu

Otaru-Niigata (692km)
Lavender (14,125gt)/Azalea (14,125gt)

Otaru-Maizuru (1,061km)
Akashia (16,810gt)/Hamanasu (16,810gt)

Tomakomai Higashi-ko (East Port)-Akita-Niigata-Tsuruga (1,074km)
Lilac (18,225gt)/Yuukari (18,229gt)

Tomakomai Higashi-ko (East Port)-Tsuruga (948km)
Suisen (17,382gt)/Suzuran (17,382gt)

Shin Nihonkai Ferry
Venus Travel
Authent Hotel Otaru
Raku Suisan

Tomakomai Nishi-ko (West Port)-Oarai (758km)
Sunflower Sapporo (13,654gt)/Sunflower Furano (13,539gt)
Sunflower Shiretoko (11,410gt)/Sunflower Daisetsu (11,401gt)

Shosen Mitsui Sunflower (MOL Sunflower)
Shosen Mitsui Sunflower (MOL Sunflower)
Casual Cruise Sunflower
Casual Cruise Asia

Tomakomai Nishi-ko (West Port)-Sendai-Nagoya (1,330km)
Ishikari (15,762gt)/Kiso (15,795gt)/Kitakami (13,694gt)

Taiheiyo Ferry
Taiheiyo Ferry
Nagoya Tetsudo (Nagoya Railroad)

Taiheiyo Ferry began to offer Wi-Fi service on the Kiso on trial on June 27, 2014.

On March 10, 2015, K Line Kinkai (Silver Ferry, Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen) announced that it's begun studying the opening the Miyako (Iwate prefecture)-Muroran (Hokkaido) route (326km) in the spring of 2018.

Taiheiyo Ferry announced it will offer Wi-Fi service aboard the Ishikari and the Kitakami from April 2015.

Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry) will build two new car ferries at Japan Marine United Corporation's Isogo Works (Yokohama). The Sunflower Sapporo and the Sunflower Furano, which ply between Oarai and Tomakomai, will be replaced in the first half of 2017.

Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry) announced that its Sunflower Daisetsui (11,401gt) will reassume the service on the Tomakomai-Oarai route on February 3.

On March 7, 2016, K Line Kinkai (Silver Ferry, Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen) made an official decision that it will open the Miyako-Muroran route (326km) in June 2018 with the Silver Queen (7,005gt).

Shin Nihonkai Ferry will build two car ferries at MHI Shimonoseki shipyard. The Ferry Azalea and the Ferry Shirakaba will be replaced.

Shin Nihonkai Ferry will launch a new ferry on the Otaru-Niigata route in March 2017. GT: about 14,400gt; LOA: 197.5m; Beam 26.6m; Pass: 600; Truck: 150; Car: 22; Main Engines: 11,000KW×2. The new ferry is being built at MHI Shimonoseki shipyard, and due to take the water on September 6, 2016.

Shin Nihonkai Ferry's new ship "Lavender" took the water at MHI Shimonoseki shipyard on September 6, 2016.

Shin Nihonkai Ferry's Azalea will take the water at MHI Shimonoseki shipyard on January 12, 2017, and enter service on the Otaru-Niigata route on June 28, 2017.

On October 21, 2016, Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry) announced that it will launch the Sunflower Furano and the Sunflower Sapporo (about 14,000gt, LOA: 199.7m, Beam: 27.2m; Sea speed: 24knot; Pass: 590; Truck: about 160; Car: about 100) on the Tomakomai-Oarai route in May and August 2017 respectively. They are being built at Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU)'s Isogo Works in Yokohama.

Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry) introduced Almex's automatic check-in system on December 5, 2016.

Shin Nihonkai Ferry will decrease the capacity of the Yuukari and the Lilac from 892 to 846 passengers on February 1, and February 27, 2017 respectively.

Shin Nihonkai Ferry's Lavender entered service on the Otaru-Niigata route on March 9, 2017.

Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry)'s Sunflower Furano (ex-Hestia) was renamed Golden Pearl 3, and left for Indonesia in May, 2017.

On May 13, 2017, Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry)'s Sunflower Furano (II, 13,816gt) entered service on the Tomakomai-Oarai route. Her sister, Sunflower Sapporo (II) is set to enter service on August 28, 2017.

On May 29, 2017, Taiheiyo Ferry ordered a 14,000gt car ferry from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works. She will replace the Kitakami (13,937gt, 1989) and set to be completed in January 2019.

On September 22, 2017, Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry) announced that the Sunflower Sapporo will enter service on the Tomakomai-Oarai route on October 24, 2017.

On October 13, 2017, Japan Marine United delivered the Sunflower Sapporo (13,816gt) to Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry). She entered service on the Tomakomai-Oarai route on October 25, 2017.

On November 9, 2017, Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry) announced that "new defects were confirmed on propulsion systems" of the Sunflower Sapporo, which has been docked at the JMU Isogo shipyard since October 27, and she will be out of service until January 31. 2018.

Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry)'s Sunflower Sapporo will re-enter service on the Tomakomai-Oarai route on February 20, 2018.

Shosen Mitsui Ferry (MOL Ferry)'s Sunflower Furano will be out of service for some repairs from January 24 to February 8, 2018.

Taiheiyo Ferry's Kitakami is set to take the water on July 3, 2018, and enter service on the Tomakomai-Sendai route on January 25, 2019.

On June 22, 2018, Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen opened the Miyako-Muroran route (333.4km).

Taiheiyo Ferry's Kitakami took the water on July 4, 2018 due to a typhoon.

On September 28, 2018, Tokyo-based Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen (K Line Kinkai, Silver Ferry) announced that the ferry service bound for Miyako from Muroran will call at Hachinohe from October 6, 2018. The ferry service bound for Muroran from Miyako will not be changed.

Taiheiyo Ferry's Kitakami (II) entered service on the Tomakomai-Sendai route on January 25, 2019.

Shin Nihonkai Ferry has decided to open a 18-room accommodation in Kutchan, Hokkaido in winter of 2020. Authent Hotels, a part of SHK Line group is set to operate it.

On December 20, 2019, K Line Kinkai (Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen) announced that it will make an end to call at the port of Miyako on the Muroran-Hachinohe-Miyako route on March 31, 2020.

K Line Kinkai (Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen) will suspend its services on the Muroran-Hachinohe-Miyako route from February 12 to February 29, 2020. The Silver Queen will be used at the Port of Yokohama by the Japan Self-Defense Forces to prevent the spread of the infection of the COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus.

Shin Nihonkai Ferry will set up "Raku Suisan," a resort hotel in Kutchan, Hokkaido on December 1, 2020.

On February 17, 2022, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and MOL Ferry announced that they will build two LNG-powered car ferries at Naikai Zosen. The LNG-powered ferries (15,600gt, LOA: 199.4m, Pass: 157, Trucks (13m): 155) are expected to enter service on the Tomakomai-Oarai route in 2025.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX) and Hokkaido Gas on January 6, 2023 announced that basic agreements were signed between MOL and JAPEX, and between MOL and Hokkaido Gas for supply of LNG fuel to the two LNG-fueled ferries operated by MOL Ferry on the Oarai-Tomakomai route.

On February 13, 2023, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced that its consolidated subsidiary companies, MOL Ferry Co., Ltd. and Ferry Sunflower Limited will be merged on October 1, 2023. The surviving company will be MOL Ferry.

On June 5, 2023, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced that it decided to name the new company, which will start up on October 1, 2023, as "MOL Sunflower Ltd."

On April 11, 2024, Sunflower Kamuy (15,600gt) for MOL Sunflower took the water at Naikai Zosen Innoshima Shipyard. She is set to enter service on the Tomakomai-Oarai route in 2025.