| Anchorage Name | Location (Coordinates) | Area (km²) | Depth (m) | Bottom Type | Max Vessel DWT | Capacity | Primary Use | Restrictions & Safety Notes | Commercial Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moji Anchorage | 33°56’00″N, 130°57’00″E ±50m | 1.2 | 10-15 (Chart Datum) | Mud/Sand (Shear strength 20kPa) | 50,000 | 10 vessels (min 200m spacing) | General cargo, waiting | 1. Limited swing room (1.5xLOA required) 2. Strong currents (max 3.2 knots at springs) 3. Prohibited during typhoon signal #8+ 4. Anchor watch mandatory (15-min checks) 5. No dragging beyond 0.3nm radius |
1. Priority for vessels with berthing windows 2. Fresh water supply available (100T/hr max) 3. Bunker upon request (24h notice) 4. Garbage reception available 5. Nearest ship chandler: Moji Nitto |
| Kokura Anchorage | 33°53’30″N, 130°52’15″E ±30m | 0.8 | 8-12 (MLWS) | Clay (Shear strength 35kPa) | 30,000 | 6 vessels (daylight only) | Coastal vessels, bunkering | 1. 500m exclusion zone near Kanmon Bridge 2. Depth varies +2m/-1m during spring tides 3. Mandatory AIS transmission 4. No anchoring in southern sector (pipeline area) 5. Tug standby required for vessels >20,000 DWT |
1. Bunkering by licensed providers only (JIS G3201 compliant) 2. No cargo operations permitted 3. Maximum stay 48 hours 4. No crew changes permitted 5. Nearest repair: Kokura Shipyard (floating dock) |
| Wakamatsu Anchorage | 33°55’15″N, 130°49’45″E ±75m | 1.5 | 12-18 (CD) | Sand/Shell (Shear strength 15kPa) | 80,000 | 8 vessels (4 VLOCs max) | Bulk carriers, ore vessels | 1. Dynamic positioning recommended for VLOCs 2. Frequent fog Nov-Mar (radar mandatory) 3. Separate zones for VLOCs (marked buoys) 4. Ballast exchange prohibited 5. Night navigation restrictions apply |
1. Direct transfer to ore terminals possible (prior approval) 2. Maximum stay 72hrs 3. Customs clearance available 4. Barge loading permitted (daylight only) 5. Nearest hospital: Wakamatsu Medical Center (marine ambulance available) |
| Tobata Anchorage | 33°54’00″N, 130°50’30″E ±40m | 0.7 | 9-11 (MLWS) | Hard Clay (Shear strength 40kPa) | 40,000 | 5 vessels (mooring buoys only) | Container feeders, project cargo | 1. Daytime use only (0600-1800 JST) 2. No anchoring – mooring buoys only 3. Underwater pipelines marked (yellow buoys) 4. Mandatory fender deployment 5. No bunkering operations |
1. Pre-book through port control (72h notice) 2. Stevedores available (JIS standard gear) 3. Night lighting limited 4. Container inspection available 5. Nearest railhead: Tobata Freight Terminal |
| Shimonoseki Anchorage (New) | 33°57’20″N, 130°56’10″E ±60m | 1.0 | 7-9 (CD) | Sandy Mud (Shear strength 18kPa) | 20,000 | 4 vessels | Ferries, Ro-Ro vessels | 1. Tidal stream 4 knots max 2. Prohibited for tankers 3. Mooring boats mandatory 4. No overnight stays 5. Emergency turning area nearby |
1. Passenger transfer only 2. No cargo operations 3. Pilot transfer point 4. Weather routing service available 5. Nearest airport: Kitakyushu Airport (helicopter transfer possible) |
Navigation Essentials:
- All coordinates based on WGS84 Datum (JGD2011 compatible)
- Anchorage holding power index (1-4 scale):
- Moji: 2.5 (fair)
- Kokura: 3.0 (good)
- Wakamatsu: 2.0 (marginal)
- Tobata: 3.5 (excellent)
- Shimonoseki: 2.8 (good)
- Pilot boarding grounds (all times UTC+9):
- Moji: 33°56’30″N, 130°58’00″E (24hrs)
- Wakamatsu: 33°54’45″N, 130°48’30″E (0600-2200)
- Shimonoseki: 33°57’40″N, 130°56’50″E (daylight only)
- Tide stations (all heights in meters above CD):
- Moji Tide Station (33°56’05″N) – Real-time monitoring
- Wakamatsu Tide Gauge (33°55’20″N) – 15-min updates
- Shimonoseki Reference Point (33°57’30″N) – Verified 2023
Safety Critical :
- New underwater infrastructure:
- Power cable at 33°53’45″N, 130°51’10″E (yellow buoys)
- Gas pipeline at 33°55’10″N, 130°50’05″E (red buoys)
- Dredging operations:
- Kokura basin: 2024-03 to 2024-05 (depth may reduce by 1m)
- Moji approach: 2024-09 scheduled
- Typhoon procedures:
- Signal #3: Prepare 2 anchors (vessels >20,000 GT)
- Signal #5: Mandatory 3,000m storm mooring lines
- Signal #8: All anchorages evacuated
- Emergency protocols:
- Port Control VHF Ch.12 (primary), Ch.16 (distress)
- JMU SAR Coordination Center (published in ALRS Vol.6)
- Designated helicopter landing zones at all anchorages
Commercial Services & Logistics:
- Bunkering:
- IFO 380: All anchorages (48h notice, ISO 8217:2017)
- MGO: Wakamatsu and Moji only
- LNG trial: Wakamatsu (special approval, IMO Type C tanks)
- Provisions:
- Pre-arranged delivery (no market boats permitted)
- Medical supplies through licensed port agents only
- Cashless payment system mandatory (JPY/USD)
- Waste Management:
- MARPOL Annex V compliant reception facilities
- Sludge disposal: Wakamatsu only (advance notice)
