The rail transport uses dedicated 31-foot Super UR containers equipped with vacuum insulation panels, designed for temperature-sensitive goods. These containers carry Morinaga's liquid nutritional products, produced at Morioka and Kobe factories.
The service operates between Morioka and Sendai in the north, and Kobe in the west, utilizing fixed rail routes between Kudara/Osaka Freight Terminal and Sendai Freight Terminal. It is the first rail-based round-trip initiative in Japan with the same shipper using identical containers for both outbound and inbound journeys.
The project was initiated in response to ongoing shortages of truck drivers and increased logistics costs due to tighter labor regulations implemented in April 2024. By shifting these milk products to rail, the consortium anticipates a 72% reduction in CO₂ emissions, equivalent to approximately 184 tonnes annually compared to truck transportation. This logistics scheme is approved under Japan's "Comprehensive Logistics Efficiency Act" and recognized as part of the "Modal Shift Acceleration Emergency Measures."
Nippon Express coordinates transport logistics, JR Freight manages rail operations, and Japan Oil Transportation provides the specialized containers. The initiative eliminates empty container returns, linking Morioka, Sendai, and Kobe in a continuous logistics loop, ensuring loaded containers in both directions
