Tomoe Shokai completed at the end of August “Kobe Gas Terminal” as its international base of logistics and storage which had been under construction since long before. Having cleared all procedural steps, the terminal has already been in a full-fledged operation since October 2.

In 2012 Tomoe opened “Yokohama Gas Terminal” in Tsurumi-ward of Yokohama City as an export/import base of semiconductor gases and toxic and hazardous materials. The facility is now playing an important function as bonded warehouse for storing imported products and also as a dispatching base for the domestic delivery. As the terminal, however, has already been close to the limit of its capacity, Tomoe was planning to have a similar facility in the western part of Japan for also rationalization of logistics to the western area and responding to BCP.

Under these such circumstances, Kobe City introduced the industrial complex so-called “Kobe Techno-Logistic Park” in which the gas terminal was constructed. The park is a bonded area within a 25km distance from Kobe Port though located in the mountainous region of Rokko.

With Sanyo Expressway and Kobe West IC in the industrial complex the region is also suitable for a domestic base of logistics. In consideration of the satisfactory tax benefits provided by Kobe City which positively invited logistic companies, Tomoe decided to advance into the park two years ago to build up the second gas terminal. Annexed to the Kobe Gas Terminal of which major facilities are as per the appendix, there are Kobe Sales Office of Tomoe Shokai and Kobe Branch of Tomoe Transportation.

　
According to Gohei Sasagawa managing director of Tomoe Shokai, the initial concept to design the gas terminal is to contribute to customers by securing a safe storage of high pressure gases, toxic substances and dangerous goods in the bonded area. For instance, imported high pressures gases are subject to customs clearance after clearing the examination for acceptance in seaport or airport, but in case it takes much time until the customs clearance, a safety problem may inevitably happen. It follows that the idea was born to store the goods in the bonded place which secures safety.

To this end, in Kobe Gas Terminal like the other one in Yokohama, a security guard system is well equipped in all the warehouses of different type with two or more leak detectors as well as monitoring cameras and infrared sensors.

In addition all the warehouses are equipped with exhaust ducts in preparation for a leakage accident. The ducts are connected with the combustion abatement equipment, and they are designed to make the leaked substance harmless automatically by combustion or acid/alkali scrubbers to discharge to the atmosphere. An analysis chamber and a building to replace dry agents for abatement are provided as facilities other than the warehouse. The analysis chamber is utilized for not only the acceptance and pre-delivery tests of imported products, but also for the supply of Yokohama Laboratory’s analysis services to the customers in the West Japan region. In the building to replace dry agents, the highly-demanded chemical agents of the dry waste gas disposer are replaced for the treatment of a dry etching gas.

A liquid nitrogen tank is also installed. Other than the provision for safety of equipment, the business for filling of
vacuum bottles is also planned.

The substances dealt with by the terminal include a variety of high pressure gases like air separation gases or rare gases, flammable/toxic gases like acetylene, ethylene oxide or liquid ammonia, semiconductor gases like chlorine/ nitrogen trifluoride/fluorine and hazardous materials like trimethyl gallium or trimethyl aluminum.

As for the dangerous goods, Tomoe obtained certifications to store Class 3 (spontaneous-ignitable or water-reactive substance), Class 4 (ignitable liquid) and Class 5 (self-reactive substance). In addition, it is planning to present proposals for new business to pharmaceutical research institutes and universities.
　
The whole investment amounted to about 1 billion including the land and buildings. The managing director Sasagawa said, “The terminal is positioned to complement Yokohama Gas Terminal from the viewpoint of BCP, functioning as a logistic base to Tokai, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku-Shikoku and Kyushu areas. Furthermore are planning to pursue rationalization using the RF Tag System, which JIMGA is promoting for the management of cylinders. We also wish to reduce logistic costs in the West Japan area.”