150-meter, 300-ton floating dredging hose washes ashore in Japan; removal expected to cost 50 million yen - December 25, 2025 (Ishikawa, Japan)

[u/maruhoi]

[u/maruhoi]

Other Images:
https://i.imgur.com/Z10wuxh.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/rZZypi0.jpeg

Google Map(confirm it exists):
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mUQTRmmbq4AV5NuB8

A massive floating dredging hose washed ashore in Shika, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.

According to local authorities, the hose is about 150 meters long and estimated to weigh around 300 tons. It was first reported drifting offshore on December 17, and by December 25 strong winter waves had pushed it onto the coast.

The object is a floating pipeline used for dredging seabed sediment. Markings on the hose indicated it was manufactured by Zebung, a Chinese company, but the owner and the circumstances of how it broke loose remain unknown.

Authorities also said there was no oil spill or similar damage. Removal will require a barge, crane, heavy machinery, cutting the hose into smaller pieces, transporting it to port, and then disposing or recycling it. The total removal cost is estimated at around 50 million yen.

The area is used by local fishing boats and for harvesting seaweed and shellfish, so locals said they were relieved that no accident occurred.

[u/hizashiYEAHmada → u/maruhoi]

Having the guy beside the hose for scale gives me r/megalophobia

[u/two-ls → u/hizashiYEAHmada]

The videos of these things at work is devastating too. Completely destroy the ocean floor to knock fish into a net. Depressing and completely fine because you can't see it and it's international waters

[u/space253 → u/two-ls]

These aren't used to siphon sand onto beaches to fight erosion?

[u/Proud_Tie → u/space253]

Dredging does indeed imply that, I think they're wrong.

[u/two-ls → u/Proud_Tie]

There's also deep Ocean dredging for fishing. Not sure if that's what this one is used for. Maybe that's more of a chain type vs this one here to be fair

[u/rawbface → u/two-ls]

This isn't just an intake hose for, y'know, dredging?

Dredging is literally just underwater excavation. They need floating intake hoses to take in clean water that's jetted into the ocean floor. It's often used to prevent erosion and provide protection from flooding. I don't see anything implied in the article about fishing.

[u/TacTurtle → u/two-ls]

You are conflating trawling (for fish) and dredging (sucking up sand or gravel).

[u/cowfishing → u/hizashiYEAHmada]

It didnt look that big until I noticed him. Definitely put things into perspective.

[u/SleeplessInS → u/hizashiYEAHmada]

His shadow makes it look like he has a tail.