- Business
- Kuribayashi Steamship Co., Ltd. engages primarily in marine transportation services in Japan and internationally, operating through four segments including shipping, hotel, real estate, and other businesses; it transports specialized cargo such as paper products, used raw paper, cast and forged steel products, starch, vehicles, and general consumer goods via Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO) vessels and tramp services for bulk commodities like steel, raw sugar, rice, fertilizer, and ore. The company provides integrated sea-land logistics solutions encompassing port loading and unloading, cargo collection and delivery, coastal tugboat and barge operations for heavy items including oil refinery pressure vessels and wind power generation blades, as well as ferry services, fruit and vegetable wholesaling, ship operations, and real estate leasing for stores and properties. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Kuribayashi Steamship maintains a fleet of vessels for domestic and international routes with a focus on modal shift logistics utilizing sea and land assets for supply chain optimization. Recent developments include the acquisition of Kita-Nihon Kaiun Co., Ltd., a Seikan Ferry operator, from Nippon Express in July 2020 for ¥2 billion, enabling expansion into ferry operations and northern Japan routes; in September 2025, the company announced a share buyback program for up to 140,000 shares (1.12% of issued capital) valued at approximately ¥210 million to enhance shareholder returns.