Okinawa Yamato Transport announced that its Global Logistics Center "Southern Gate," a core logistics hub for its corporate business, celebrated its 10th anniversary on November 18th.
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Commercial operations began on November 18, 2015. The facility is a five-story reinforced concrete logistics hub with a total floor area of 26,590 m2. Located in a logistics industry cluster area close to Naha Airport and the port, it operates as a core hub for logistics networks not only within and outside Okinawa Prefecture but also internationally.
Beyond traditional storage and sorting, the company features value-added services such as filling, kitting, repair and maintenance, inventory management, assortment, merging, and bonded storage, supporting the resolution of logistics challenges for companies in Okinawa.
As a key initiative to evolve Okinawa's logistics infrastructure, we are focusing on "1. Strengthening pre-export processes and quality control by utilizing bonded warehouses." Bonded warehouses provide an environment where export goods can be stored and processed in a pre-customs clearance state. For items with high overseas export demand, such as "semiconductor manufacturing equipment" and "food and agricultural/fishery products," temperature control, inspection, kitting, and merging operations are carried out consistently within the bonded area, thereby simultaneously shortening pre-export lead times and improving quality control.
"2. The goal is to realize speedy and seamless nationwide and international connections using Narita Airport for Yamato Group's dedicated cargo flights (freighters)." In December of this year, a new direct freighter service will be added to the freighter schedule, from Naha Airport to Narita Airport. By strengthening the quality control and shipping system for customers' goods at Southern Gate, the aim is to realize an air transport scheme that uses Narita Airport as a hub to connect Okinawa cargo with all of Japan or overseas in a speedy and seamless manner.
In "3. Expanding Value-Added Logistics to Support the Business Growth of Okinawan Companies," we will expand the system to support companies' manufacturing, processing, and e-commerce businesses by utilizing functions that handle value-added areas of logistics, such as filling, kitting, and maintenance at Southern Gate, and the Yamato Group's domestic and international network. This will be in line with Okinawa Prefecture's support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises in industrial promotion, and will strengthen logistics functions that support "making things in Okinawa."
In section 4, "Our Customer's SLP (Sustainable Logistics Partner)," Okinawa Yamato Transport aims to build a sustainable supply chain as a sustainable logistics partner. Rather than limiting itself to individually optimizing logistics functions, it will strengthen its role as an SLP (Sustainable Logistics Partner), centered around Southern Gate, to "create an optimal supply chain that reduces environmental impact" in collaboration with shippers, suppliers, distributors, and government agencies, encompassing the entire business from procurement and manufacturing to sales and after-sales service.
