In this paper, ship tracks during the huge tsunami in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake are extensively investigated based on Automatic Identification System data and others and ships smaller than 500 GT were identified more likely to be carried inland, resulting in potential impact load sources to buildings. Case studies are further made to compute required capacity of buildings against the combination of tsunami wave and impact loads due to tsunami-driven ships. It is then found buildings designed against tsunami wave and seismic loads will not sustain critical damages against ship impact when ship is smaller than 500 GT.
