Logistics companies are straining to keep operations in Japan functioning, with around 10 ports seriously damaged or unusable and a growing nuclear crisis
  
 Logistics operations and transport systems to and from the north-east of Japan, worst-hit by the disaster, is limited, while the exclusion zone around the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant expands almost daily.

Lengthy power outages, fuel queues, congested roads and staff shortages are seeing many express and general cargo providers operating at limited capacity.

A spokesman for Panalpina said the ports of Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, Hakata, Moji and Shimizu were operating normally, but some terminals at Tokyo/Yokohama were becoming congested with shortages of trucks and fuel preventing collection of incoming containers.

“In the major terminals there is still room to accommodate containers but if the situation doesn’t improve over the weekend, some carriers may divert vessels to other ports,” he said.

In Tokyo, Haneda and Narita Airports are struggling with demand as people rush to evacuate, while some airlines have now cancelled or diverted flights away from Tokyo and others are refusing to accept inbound cargo.

One airport source said Narita’s cargo facilities were “close to being overwhelmed”.
Schenker said almost all airlines had stopped accepting import cargo other than emergency aid and supplies.

Panalpina confirmed that Kansai Airport was still operating normally, but a spokesman said fuel shortages were making truckers “reluctant to accept cargo destined for northern or eastern Japan” from Kansai.

Lufthansa Cargo told IFW that due to “severe handling restrictions” at Narita Airport, flights scheduled to Tokyo had been re-routed to Osaka.

“In addition to available freighter flights to Osaka, shipments can still be booked on Lufthansa passenger flights to and from Osaka and Nagoya.”

Freighter operator Cargolux has rescheduled its European export activities to Japan with trucking services to Narita suspended for connections this week. Osaka and Nagoya are being offered as trucking alternatives.

UPS said extensive damage to transport infrastructure had forced it to temporarily suspend services to northern Japan. The express specialist had resumed its collection and delivery services in eastern Japan, but warned that delays could be expected.

DHL reported that its flight and import-export and pick-up-and-delivery operations in Japan were up and running, but with some delays.

“There are temporary service suspensions in non-accessible or hard-to-reach areas in north-eastern Japan,” said the integrator.

Fedex told IFW it had lifted its embargo on inbound shipments to eastern Japan, except for perishables, express freight and some premium services.

Schenker said its Narita Airport, Shibayama, Ohi and Ichikawa facilities were operating with a limited workforce.

According to one estimate port closures have already cost the Japanese economy over $3.4bn.