Taiwanese container carrier Wan Hai Lines has stepped up its presence in Japan’s port infrastructure, securing usage rights at a key Osaka Port container terminal in a move valued at about $87m to reinforce its intra-Asia network.
In a filing to the Taiwan Stock Exchange, the Taipei-based liner said its board has approved the acquisition of the right-of-use asset for Terminal C9 at Osaka Port, along with associated facilities. The investment is being made in partnership with Mitsui Warehouse Port & Transport.
Covering close to 130,000 sq m, the C9 terminal is located in the Sakishima (Nanko) district, Osaka’s primary container handling zone and a major hub for Asia-oriented trade. Independent valuations place the transaction at roughly $86.8m.
Wan Hai said the investment will give it greater control over terminal operations, enhance efficiency and help secure cargo handling capacity on strategically important Japan–Taiwan services. Osaka is a critical gateway for container flows linking Japan with Southeast Asia and China, markets that form the backbone of Wan Hai’s regional network.
Terminal C9 is part of the wider Sakishima complex, which includes multiple container berths operated by Hanshin Port and supported by modern cranes, container yards and adjacent logistics infrastructure such as the Nanko International Container Center.
By strengthening its grip on terminal capacity, Wan Hai aims to improve schedule reliability and streamline port calls—factors that are increasingly important for carriers focused on short-haul Asian trades.
The Osaka move adds to Wan Hai’s existing investments in Japan, including its leased operations at the Honmoku D4 terminal in Yokohama, giving the carrier a stronger operational base at two of the country’s most important container ports.
Ranked 11th globally by container capacity, according to Alphaliner, Wan Hai is one of the leading players in the intra-Asia market. Japan–Taiwan services remain central to its network, alongside other carriers operating at Osaka’s C9 terminal, including Yang Ming, Interasia and CK Line.
