[Special feature] Automobile logistics: Total solutions for the future of automobile logistics

The globalization of automakers has spread automobile production centers throughout the world, and innovations and reforms are required to efficiently transport finished automobiles assembled in multiple countries. The NYK Group is known for its automobile terminals and value-added services, and we continue to improve them, seeking to simultaneously satisfy our customers' requirements while also ensuring that our transportation services are safe and easy on the environment.

Using hub and spoke structures and integrated transportation to improve quality

Takaya Soga
General Manager
Auto Logistics Group

Global automobile production volumes continue to increase, which is in turn increasing the demand for international transportation of finished automobiles and diversifying transportation routes. The NYK Group was one of the first in Asia to build a hub and spoke structure^* in which finished automobiles are concentrated in Singapore for transshipment and then shipped as required. This structure allows for more efficient fleet allocation and shorter transportation times, and it also reduces environmental load.

Automobile transportation involves more than just maritime services. Automobiles must be transported from the plant to the port and from the port to the dealer. In addition to these onshore transport services, there are also PDI^** services at the port. When different companies provide these services, there are necessarily time lags, and these lags can constitute a major challenge for our customers. The NYK Group addresses these challenges by creating a fully integrated system able to handle all transportation from the plant in the producing country to the dealer in the destination country.

Quality transportation services bring automobiles to the world

As a one-stop shop for transportation services, we offer solutions to two of the primary issues in automobile transportation: shorter transportation times and centralized inventory management. Automobile transportation requires sophisticated loading and management technologies, and in 2011, we formulated operational standards for group companies to ensure that the same levels of quality are offered throughout the world. We will continue to use our advanced transportation technology to help people around the world enjoy the convenience and fun of the automobile, to assist the marketing strategies of our customers, and to contribute to the development of emerging economies.

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