2nd Report of the Market Access Ombudsman Council (March 14, 1995)

4-(2) Relaxation of weight restrictions when freight containers are transported by road

1. Complainants: Australian Embassy, French Embassy, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan

2. Ministry concerned: Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Construction

3. Complaint:

ISO standards are the established international standards for freight containers. Widely used containers meeting ISO specifications are 20-ft containers with the gross weight limit of 24 tons and 40-ft containers with the gross weight limit of 30.48 t. These containers are transported by road by vehicles called semi-trailers.

The Road Law and related ordinances, etc. sets maximum gross weight limits for vehicles transiting roads, in order to preserve road structures and prevent traffic hazards. The maximum gross weight limits depend mainly on the strength of bridges and are set according to vehicle length and wheelbase (distance between the centers of the vehicle's front and rear axles).

Taking the importance of semi-trailers carrying freight containers in terms of international distribution into consideration, they are allowed to transit carrying heavier loads than ordinary vehicles, by permission of road authorities (referred to hereafter as transit permits), on some conditions, such as operating at low speed, to preserve road structures.

To ensure the safety of road transport vehicles, the Road Transport Vehicle Law and related ordinances, etc. sets a maximum gross weight and length for vehicles allowed to transit on roads, in consideration of the effect that this has on bridges etc. Maximum weight loads are also specified for each vehicle.

Regarding 20-ft containers, if dedicated vehicles developed recently to meet ISO standards revised in 1988 are used, it is possible to carry containers fully loaded to ISO standards. However, in the case of 40-ft containers, only those with a total weight of 24 tons may be transported by road; transit of 40-ft containers fully loaded to ISO standards is not allowed.

The 11th 5-Year Road Improvement Program (from FY1993 to FY1997) is currently being undertaken, and bridges on trunk roads are being strengthened.

The following complaints have been raised concerning weight restrictions on road transport of freight containers.

That is, containerization and integrated sea-land transport benefit both businesses and consumers by such forms as lowering in the form of lower prices for imports. Therefore, weight restrictions on road transport of freight containers should be relaxed because of the need to promote more containerization and integration of sea-land transport in Japan.

In particular, in the case of 20-ft containers, if newly-developed dedicated vehicles with a wheel base of 12.5 meters are used, fully loaded containers are allowed to transit, but the maximum load is restricted to 20.32 tons if vehicles with a wheel base of 10 meters, the type of vehicle used so far, are used. The newly-developed vehicles present the following problems:

1) operators bear a cost burden in having to replace vehicles in a short time;
2) forklifts are unable to go into the containers when loading, because the rear end of containers is ahead of that of trailers; and
3) the vehicle has relatively poor maneuverability because the wheel base is long. To remedy this situation, the complainants requested that the following measures be adopted.

(1) Where 20-ft containers are concerned, transit of containers fully loaded to ISO standards on vehicles with a wheel base of 10 meters should be allowed at the end of the 5-Year Road Improvement Program.

1) When doing so, the specifications for vehicles (axle weight, number of axles, chassis strength, etc.) for which this would be allowed should be clarified as soon as possible
2) Indications should be given concerning the extent of vehicle modifications needed to allow transit of existing vehicles with a wheel base of 10 meters when fully loaded.

(2) Regarding 40-ft containers, transit of fully-loaded containers should be permitted when the 5-Year Road Improvement Program is completed, and specifications for vehicles allowed to carry fully-loaded containers should be clarified as soon as possible.

(3) Information on road sectors where weight restrictions will be relaxed on completion of the 5-Year Road Improvement Program should be made available as soon as possible. Further, if possible, weight restrictions on roads with sufficient strength should be gradually relaxed, even partway through the 5-Year Road Improvement Plan.

(4) Road improvements to permit relaxation of weight restrictions should be carried out on main roads within major metropolitan areas along which many major customers are located, rather than on expressways linking urban centers.

4. Results of deliberation:

(1) Promoting integrated sea-land transport contributes greatly to efficient distribution, and from the viewpoint of international harmonization, freight containers meeting ISO standards should be allowed to transit fully loaded as soon as possible, on roads where there is major domestic distribution demand for transport by freight container.

Regarding 20-ft containers, the complainants state that vehicles with a wheelbase of 12.5 meters, which are currently allowed to transport fully loaded containers, are not convenient because of its inferiority of maneuverability, etc. Therefore, transport by other vehicles, including modified versions of those currently used for transporting 20-ft containers, with better maneuverability and so on, should be made possible.

Bridges on national expressways have been adapted by the concerned ministry to bear the passage of semi-trailers carrying ISO-standard fully loaded 40-ft containers. Furthermore, because of the spread of transport of international cargo, the Road Structure Ordinance was amended in November 1993; under this amendment, bridges to be built on other roads in the future will be strengthened, and existing bridges will gradually be strengthened as well. Doing so will permit the creation, by the end of FY1997, of a road network of important distribution routes capable of handling semi-trailers carrying fully loaded 40-ft containers, which will be allowed to transit with transit permits issued by road authorities. The ministry will also allow transport of fully loaded 20-ft containers on vehicles with a wheel base of 10 meters, when axle weight restrictions, etc. are met, on road networks capable of handling vehicles carrying fully loaded 40-ft containers.

From the viewpoint of allowing transit of fully loaded freight containers as soon as possible, transit of fully loaded containers should be allowed under the condition of acquiring the transit permits if a certain road networks can be established by securing detour roads and so on, even before the end of the 11th 5-Year Road Improvement Program.

Information on road networks where weight restrictions to be relaxed should be provided as soon as possible, to help related businesses in their operations.

(2) To support increased road transport of ISO-standard freight containers, the development and modification of vehicles for this purpose should be carried out smoothly.

For the convenience vehicle manufacturers and vehicle transport operators, the conditions which vehicles must meet to be allowed to transit carrying fully loaded containers should be clarified well in advance, through coordination by the concerned ministries and agencies, of the date when transit by vehicles carrying fully loaded containers will be allowed. At that time, the opinions of the complainants and of the Regarding transport of fully loaded 20-ft containers by vehicles with a wheel base of 10 meters, the concerned ministry maintains that for technical reasons, it is considered that the number of axles on semi-trailers should be increased from the current four to five.

The concerned ministry will also allow weight loads limit for vehicles with a wheelbase of 10 meters in current use to be amended by appropriate modifications, if this meets the security standards for road transport vehicles.

(3) The concerned ministry will carry out improvements to important distribution routes, such as roads linking national expressways and main container yards, within the 11th 5-Five Year Road Improvement Program. Regarding the decision on the specific roads to be improved, priority should be given to roads with major demand for transport of freight containers. When deciding which roads will be improved, the ministry will take into consideration roads where there is currently heavy transport of freight containers under transit permits.

Government decision (March 28, 1995)

4-(2) Relaxation of weight restrictions when ship containers are transported by road

To promote integrated sea-land transport of ship containers and to make distribution more efficient, the following measures will be adopted:

(1) Roads of important distribution routes will be improved within the period of the 11th 5-Year Road Improvement Program (until the end of FY1997), so that the passage of semi-trailers carrying fully-loaded ISO standard 40-ft containers will be enabled under the condition of acquiring the transit permits by road authorities.

If a certain network of roads can be established, by securing detour roads and so on, passage of the fully-loaded containers will be permitted on these roads even before the end of the 11th 5-Year Road Improvement Program.

(2) Regarding a road network capable of handling fully-loaded 40-ft containers, if axle weight restrictions are met, vehicles with a distance between foremost and rearmost axles of 10m will be permitted to transit carrying fully-loaded ISO standard 20-ft containers .

(3) Clarification of the conditions that vehicles should meet to be allowed to transit carrying fully-loaded ship containers will be provided as soon as possible, after taking enough account of the opinions of the related businesses.

(4) Regarding the improvement of roads to withstand passage of fully-loaded ship containers, priority will be given to routes which are necessary for the transportation of ship containers, and roads with frequent transportation of ship containers with transit permits will be used as references.

(5) Information on road networks where weight restrictions have been relaxed will be provided as soon as possible.

Follow-up (May 27,1996)

4-(2) Relaxation of weight restrictions when freight containers are transported by road

(1) Major highways connecting major ports and industrial parks and other important distribution roads will be improved, by repairing and strengthening bridges, to bear the passage of semi-trailers carrying fully loaded 40-ft containers. Among the 460 locations where road improvements are planned, works were completed in 360 locations by the end of FY1995. And work on all the remaining locations will be completed by the end of FY1997.

When continuing the work of repairing and strengthening bridges, if certain road networks can be established by securing detour roads etc. even before the end of FY1997, it will be possible for vehicles carrying fully loaded 40-ft containers to transit these roads under permit as special vehicles.

On the same roads, vehicles with a wheelbase of 10 meters will be allowed to transport fully loaded 20-ft containers if axle weight restrictions are met under similar permit as special vehicles.

Information on networks where weight restrictions have been relaxed will be supplied available as soon as possible.

(2)
1) Organizations of vehicle manufacturers and transport operators, along with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction, have established a venue for study which vehicles can transit with fully loaded freight containers after June 1995. They will reach a conclusion as soon as possible in FY1996 and will be scheduled to indicate this to the businesses concerned.
2) Regarding transport of fully loaded containers by vehicles with a wheel base of 10 meters modified appropriately, if axle weight restrictions stipulated in the security standards for road transport vehicles are met and a transit permit is also obtained, transit will be allowed when road networks are created.

(3) During the 11th 5-Five Road Improvement Program, roads where there is heavy demand for ship container transport will be improved with paying attention, including the roads used for transporting tall ship containers.

Further Follow-up (May 12, 1997)

4-(2) Relaxation of weight restrictions when freight containers are transported by road

(1) Bridges on roads which play a vital role in distribution, linking major ports, industrial parks and other distribution centers, are being improved and reinforced to allow them to bear passage of semi-trailers carrying fully-loaded 40-ft containers. Of the 460 bridges scheduled for improvements and reinforcing, work on 400 bridges was completed by the end of FY 1996, and work on the remaining locations will be completed by the end of FY1997.

Where further improvement and reinforcement work is concerned, if detours can be secured and a road network is established even before the end of FY1997, it will be possible for special vehicles carrying 40-ft containers to travel on the roads in question with transit permits.

Transport of fully-loaded 20-ft containers on vehicles with the distance between outer axles 10 meters will be allowed, when axle weight restrictions, etc. are met, on road networks capable of handling vehicles carrying fully-loaded 40-ft containers. Businesses will be advised as soon as possible concerning networks where weight restrictions have been eased.

(2)
1) The opinions of concerned organizations (organizations of vehicle manufacturers and transport operators, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Construction) were heard and the Ministry of Construction showed them a linked semi-trailer prototype in December 1996.
Based on the prototype shown, the concerned organizations and the Ministry of Construction will continue to study the vehicles which require modification in order to meet legal requirements and reach a conclusion during FY1997. The opinions of the complainants will also continue to be considered.
2) Regarding full loading of vehicles with the distance between outer axles 10 meters which have been suitably modified, these meet the axle weight restrictions, etc. which are the requirement of the vehicle prototype specified by the safety regulations for road transport vehicles, they will be permitted to transit when the road network is constructed.

(3) Improvement of roads where there is strong demand for transport of freight containers will be carried out during the 11th 5-Year Road Improvement Program, using examples of transit routes for tall containers as reference.