WEST JAPAN
Long haul ferries which ply between Okinawa, Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu
Hankyu Ferry
Shin Moji, Kita Kyushu-Rokko Island, Kobe (454km)
Yamato (16,300gt)/Settsu (16,300gt)
Shin Moji, Kitakyushu-Izumiotsu (458km)
Izumi (15,897gt)/Hibiki (15,897gt)
Hankyu Ferry
Hankyu Ferry
Hankyu Ferry's "Funeko"
Venus Travel
Shimonoseki Grand Hotel
Meimon Taiyo Ferry (City Line)
Shin Moji, Kita Kyushu-Nan-ko, Osaka (458km)
Ferry Osaka II (14,920gt)/Ferry Kita Kyushu II (14,920gt)
Ferry Kyoto (15,025gt)/Ferry Fukuoka (15,025gt)
Meimon Taiyo Ferry (City Line)
Meimon Taiyo Ferry (City Line)
City Line Travel
Keihan
Ocean Trans (Ocean Tokyu Ferry)
Shin Moji, Kita Kyushu-Tokushima-Ariake Ferry Futo, Tokyo (1,173km)
Ferry Bizan (12,641gt)/Ferry Shimanto (13,000gt)
Ferry Dogo (13,000gt)/Ferry Ritsurin (13,000gt)
Tokyo Kyushu Ferry
Shin Moji, Kita Kyushu-Yokosuka (976km)
Hamayu(15,400gt)/Soleil(15,400gt)
MOL Sunflower
Oita-Rokko Island, Kobe (418km)
Sunflower Gold (11,178gt)/Sunflower Pearl (11,177gt)
Kanko-ko, Beppu-Nan-ko, Cosmo Ferry Terminal, Osaka (446km)
Sunflower Kurenai (17,300gt)/Sunflower Murasaki (17,300gt)
Shibushi-Nan-ko, Osaka (581km)
Sunflower Kirishima (12,418gt)/Sunflower Satsuma (12,415gt)
MOL Sunflower
MOL Sunflower
Casual Cruise Sunflower
Sunflower Travel
Miyazaki Car Ferry
Miyazaki-Kobe, Kobe Sannomiya Ferry Terminal
Ferry Takachiho (14,200gt)
Ferry Rokko (14,200gt)
Marix Line
Naha-Motobu, Okinawa Island-Yoron, Yoron Island-Wadomari, Okierabujima-Kametoku, Tokunoshima-Naze, Amami Oshima-Kagoshima (733km)
Queen Coral Cross (7,914gt)/Queen Coral Plus (5,910gt)
Information
Miyazaki Car Ferry's Miyazaki-Osaka route was made a shift to the Miyazaki-Kobe (Kobe Sannomiya Ferry Terminal) route on October 1, 2014.
Miyazaki Car Ferry's 'Osaka Express' was renamed 'Kobe Express' in June 2014.
Hankyu Ferry's two new ships entered service on the Kitakyushu (Shin Moji)-Izumiotsu route in January & April 2015 respectively. The first ship is Izumi, which entered service on January 22, 2015. The second ship is Hibiki. The Ferry Settsu & the Ferry Suo will be replaced.
In July 2014, Hankyu Ferry began to offer full-fledged marine WiFi services on the Yamato & the Tsukushi.
Meimon Taiyo Ferry will introduce two 15,000gt ferries in September & November 2015. The Ferry Osaka and the Ferry Kitakyushu will be replaced.
The first ship, which is being built for Meimon Taiyo Ferry at MHI Shimonoseki shipyard will take water on March 23, 2015 and enter service on the Osaka-Shin Moji route on September 16, 2015.
The second ship, which is being built for Meimon Taiyo Ferry at MHI Shimonoseki shipyard will take water on July 2, 2015 and enter service on the Osaka-Shin Moji route in November, 2015.
Marue Ferry (A Line) withdrew from passenger services on the Tokyo-Shibushi-Naha, Okinawa island route on December 7, 2014, due to lack of passengers. The Hiryu 21 will be sold.
On August 18, 2015, the Ferry Bizan, built for Ocean Trans (Ocean Tokyu Ferry), took the water at Saiki Heavy Industries in Saiki city, Oita prefecture.
Ocean Trans' new ferry, 'Ferry Bizan' entered service on the Tokyo-Tokushima-Kitakyushu (Shin Moji) route on January 3, 2016. The Ocean West was replaced by her.
On September 16, 2015, the Ferry Osaka II (14,920gt) entered service on the Osaka-Kita Kyushu route.
On November 16, 2015, the Ferry Shimanto (about 13,000gt), built for Ocean Trans (Ocean Tokyu Ferry), took the water at Saiki Heavy Industries in Saiki city, Oita prefecture.
On November 16, 2015, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines formally announced that Ferry Sunflower Ltd., one of its subsidiary companies will build 2 car ferries for the Osaka-Shibushi route. The Sunflower Satsuma and the Sunflower Kirishima will be repalced. The unnamed new car ferries will be built at Japan Marine United. GT: 13,500gt, LOA: 192m, Beam: 27m, Pass: 709. The new car ferries will be delivered in March 2018 and June 2018 respectively.
On November 29, 2015, the Ferry Kitakushu II entered service on the Osaka-Kita Kyushu route.
The third ship, Ferry Dogo (13,000gt) for Ocean Trans took the water at Saiki Heavy Industries' shipyard on February 12, 2016.
The fourth ship, Ferry Ritsurin (13,000gt) for Ocean Trans took the water at Saiki Heavy Industries' shipyard on May 10, 2016.
Ocean Trans' Ferry Shimanto entered service on the Tokyo-Tokushima-Kitakyushu (Shin Moji) route on May 21, 2016.
Ocean Trans' Ferry Dogo entered service on the Tokyo-Tokushima-Kitakyushu (Shin Moji) route on July 21, 2016.
Ocean Trans' Ferry Ritsurin entered service on the Tokyo-Tokushima-Kitakyushu (Shin Moji) route on September 9, 2016.
On August 31, 2017, Maue Ferry (A Line) announced that it will quit operating the Ryukyu Express (6,266gt) on the Naha-Kobe-Osaka route, and withdraw passenger services on October 10, 2017 because of a decrease in demand. Meanwhile, it will launch the Ryukyu Express 2 (10,758gt), a Ro-Ro vessel on the Naha-Naze-Shibushi-Osaka-Kobe route on October 11, 2017, and keep operating a freight transport.
On November 20, 2017, Miyazaki Car Ferry and Miyazaki Senpaku, a ship owner, announced that they will sell their all business to a new company, which will be founded by the Regional Economy Vitalization Corporation of Japan (REVIC), etc., and they will be liquidated. The new company is expected to build new ferries and aim to survive the Miyazaki-Osaka route.
On March 1, 2018, a new company, "Miyazaki Car Ferry" (III) will begin business and Kazuomi Akinaga, a director of Miyako Holdings will take the president's chair of Miyazaki Car Ferry.
On February 21, 2018, Ferry Sunflower announced that its Sunflower Satsuma (13,500gt) will enter service on the Osaka-Shibushi route on May 15, 2018.
Ferry Sunflower's old "Sunflower Satsuma" (1993) will be renamed "Sunflower Satsuma 1", and she will run on the Kobe-Beppu route on a temporary basis from May 17, 2018 to August 28, 2018.
In June 2018, Hankyu Ferry ordered 2 Ro-Pax ferries from Mitsubishi Shipbuilding. The Yamato (13,353gt, 2003) and the Tsukushi (13,353gt, 2003) on the Kitakyushu (Shin Moji)-Kobe route (454km) will be replaced by the new ferries, The new ferries are expected to enter service from spring to summer in 2020.
On June 26, 2018, Ferry Sunflower announced that the Sunflower Kirishima (13,500gt) will enter service on the Shibushi-Osaka route on September 15, 2018.
On August 16, 2018, Japan Marine United (JMU) delivered the Sunflower Kirishima, which was built at Yokohama Shipyard Isogo Works to Ferry Sunflower.
The Sunflower Kirishima will be out of service due to an engine failure. Instead, the Sunflower Kirishima 1 will begin operating on the Shibushi-Osaka route on November 26, 2018. The Sunflower Satsuma has been also out of service due to an engine failure, but will re-enter on November 29.
On December 18, 2018, SHK Line Group announced that it will set up a new ferry company, and open a new route between Yokosuka and Kitakyushu (527 mile, 976 km) in the spring of 2021. It's planning to operate two 16,000gt ropaxes which can carry about 170 cargo vehicles on the route in 20.5 hrs.
In February 2019, Hankyu Ferry's Yamato was sold to Stena RoRo.
The "Yamato" will be renamed "Stena Nova" in 2020.
On August 2, 2019, Hankyu Ferry's Settsu (about 16,300gt, Length: about 195m, Beam: 29.6m, Depth: 20.6m, Draft: 6.7m, Pass: 663, 8.5m truck: about 277, Car: about 188) took the water at MHI Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works. She is set to be delivered in February 2020. The Yamato will be replaced.
On October 9, 2019, Miyazaki Car Ferry appealed to the Miyazaki prefectural government for support of building of two new car ferries on the Miyazaki-Kobe route. Miyazaki Car Ferry faces a shortage of funds.
On November 20, 2019, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Ferry Sunflower announced that they will build the first Japanese LNG-powered car ferries, Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki (17,300gt, LOA: 199.9m). Mitsui O.S.K. Lines will order the two car ferries from Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, and Ferry Sunflower will charter and launch them on the Beppu-Osaka route from the end of 2022 to the first half of 2023. The Sunflower Ivory and the Sunflower Cobalt will be replaced. The new LNG-powered ferries embody the "ISHIN-II", a part of "ISHIN NEXT MOL SMART SHIP PROJECT."
On December 3, 2019, a keel laying ceremony of two car ferries for Tokyo Kyushu Ferry was held at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Nagasaki Shipyard. The about 222 meters long ferries are set to be delivered in 2021.
On December 18, 2019, Meimon Taiyo Ferry announced that it will build two 15,400gt car ferries at MHI Shimonoseki shipyard. The first ship is set to be entered service in December 2021, and the second ship in March 2022. The Ferry Kyoto II (9,770gt, 2002) and the Ferry Fukuoka II (9,774gt, 2002) will be replaced.
On December 18, 2019, Miyazaki Car Ferry announced that it ordered two new car ferries (14,200gt, LOA: 194m, Beam: 27.6m, Service Speed: 23knots, Pass: 570-578, Truck: 163, Car: 81) from Naikai Zosen. The first ship is set to enter service on the Miyazaki-Kobe route in May 2022, and the second ship in November 2022.
On January 10, 2020, the Yamato (16,300gt) for Hankyu Ferry took the water at MHI Shimonoseki shipyard.
On March 10, 2020, Hankyu Ferry's "Settsu" entered service on the Shin Moji (Kita Kyushu)-Kobe route.
Ocean Trans (Ocean Tokyu Ferry) which operates the Kitakyushu-Tokushima-Tokyo route will resume passenger services on July 1, 2020.
On June 30, 2020, Hankyu Ferry's Yamato entered service on the Shin Moji (Kita Kyushu)-Kobe route. The plan to expand its fleet from four to five car ferries from November was given up due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Hamayu (15,400gt) for Shin Nihonkai Ferry (Tokyo Kyushu Ferry) took the water at MHI Nagasaki shipyard (Tategami) on August 7, 2020. She is expected to enter service on the Kita Kyushu-Yokosuka route in July 2021.
On October 19, 2020, Marix Line announced that it will build a replacement ship for the Queen Coral 8. The new ship will be about 145m long, 24m wide, about 8,000gt, and will be able to carry up to 655 passengers, about 30 trucks (12m), 44 cars, 246 container units (10ft) and 8 container units (20ft). She will be built at Naikai Zosen, and is set to enter service on the Okinawa island-Amami islands-Kagoshima route in December 2021.
On December 17, 2020, Miyazaki Car Ferry announced the names of two new car ferries scheduled to enter service on the Miyazaki-Kobe route in May and November 2022. The first ship will be "Ferry Takachiho" and the second ship will be "Ferry Rokko".
On December 23, 2020, Tokyo Kyushu Ferry's second ship was named "SOLEIL" at MHI Nagasaki shipyard (Tategami). She is expected to enter service on the Yokosuka-Shin Moji route in July 2021.
On March 12, 2021, construction of the Ferry Takachiho for Miyazaki Car Ferry started at Naikai Zosen Innoshima shipyard. She is expected to enter service in May 2022.
On May 13, 2021, Meimon Taiyo Ferry's Ferry Kyoto (about 15,400gt, Length: about 195m, Beam: 27.8m, Pass: 675, 12m truck: about 162, Car: about 140) took the water at MHI Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works.
On June 26, 2021, Marix Line's "Queen Coral Cross" (about 8,000gt, LOA: 145m, Beam: 24m, Pass: 655, Truck（12m）30, Car: 44, Container（10f）:246, Container（20f）:8) took the water at Naikai Zosen Setoda shipyard. She will enter service on the Naha-Amami islands-Kagoshima route on November 20, 2021. The "Queen Coral 8" will be replaced.
Tokyo Kyushu Ferry launched the Hamayu and the Soleil ro-paxes on the Shin Moji (Kita Kyushu)-Yokosuka route on July 1, 2021.
On July 12, 2021, the Yokosuka Port Transport Association and Yokosuka City announced that they had reached a basic agreement that Yokosuka assists to cost burden over the opening of the Tokyo Kyushu Ferry. As a result, the conflict between the two was resolved.
On October 8, 2021, Meimon Taiyo Ferry's Ferry Fukuoka (about 15,400gt, Length: about 195m, Beam: 27.8m, Pass: 675, 12m truck: about 162, Car: about 140) took the water at MHI Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works.
On October 20, 2021, Ferry Takachiho (14,200gt, LOA: 194m, Beam: 27.6m, Service Speed: 23knots, Pass: 576, Truck: 163, Car: 81) took the water at Naikai Zosen Innoshima shipyard.
On November 10, 2021, Marix Line's Queen Coral Cross (7,914gt) was completed and delivered by Naikai Zosen Setoda shipyard. She is set to enter servive on the Naha-Amami islands-Kogoshima route on November 20, 2021.
On December 16, 2021, Meimon Taiyo Ferry's Ferry Kyoto (14,500gt) entered service on the Shin Moji (Kita Kyushu)-Osaka route.
On March 3, 2022, the first Japanese LNG-powered ferry, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (Ferry Sunflower)'s Sunflower Kurenai (17,300gt, LOA:199.9m, Truck:137, Pass: 716) took the water at MHI Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works. She is expected to enter service on the Osaka-Beppu route in January 2023.
Meimon Taiyo Ferry's Ferry Fukuoka (15,025gt, Length:195m, Beam: 27.8m, Depth: 20.3m, Pass: 675, Truck (12m): 162, Car: 140) entered service on the Kita Kyushu (Shin Moji)-Osaka route on March 28, 2022. The Ferry Fukuoka II was replaced.
On March 30, 2022, Miyazaki Car Fery's Ferry Rokko (14,200gt, LOA: 194m, Beam: 27.6m, Service Speed: 23knots, Pass: 576, Truck: 163, Car: 81) took the water at Naikai Zosen Innoshima shipyard.
Miyazaki Car Ferry's new ship, Ferry Takachiho (about 14,200gt) entered service on the Miyazaki-Kobe route on April 15, 2022.
On August 30, 2022, the second Japanese LNG-powered ferry, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (Ferry Sunflower)'s Sunflower Murasaki (17,300gt, LOA:199.9m, Beam: 28m, Car: 100, Truck (13m):137, Pass: 716) took the water at MHI Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works. She is expected to enter service on the Osaka-Beppu route in 2023.
Miyazaki Car Ferry's new ship, Ferry Rokko (about 14,200gt) entered service on the Miyazaki-Kobe route on October 4, 2022.
On January 2023, Sunflower Kurenai (17,300gt) entered service on the Beppu-Osaka route. Her sister, Sunflower Murasaki is expected to enter service on April 14.
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 January 8, 2024, Marix Line's Queen Coral Cross (7,914) hit a breakwater at the port of Wadomari. 26 crew members and 262 passengers were all right.