Port Of Kobe, Japan

The Port of Kobe lies on the northwestern shores of Osaka Bay in west-central Honshu, the main island of Japan. Capital of Hyogo prefecture, the Port of Kobe is about 10 nautical miles west-northwest of the Port of Osaka and some 140 kilometers southwest of the Port of Nagoya. The combined cities of Kobe and Osaka are Japan's second largest urban area, and the Port of Kobe is Japan?s sixth largest city. In 2005, more than 1.5 million people lived in the Port of Kobe.

The Port of Kobe has been one of Japan's most important ports for many years. In addition to its role in maritime commerce, the Port of Kobe is home to major steel and shipbuilding industries. Other important industries in the Port of Kobe include the manufacture of small appliances, food products, and communications and transportation equipment. The city is linked with the rest of the nation by a complex network of rail lines, including those serving the famous Shinkansen bullet trains, and expressways. When it was opened in 1998, the Port of Kobe?s Akashi Kaikyo Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world.

The Kobe City Government is the Administrator of the Port of Kobe, and the Kobe Port Terminal Corporation (KPTC) builds, leases, and maintains the terminals where companies can rent dedicated terminals. The Kobe Port Administrator manages the port and harbor area facilities for common users. The Kobe Port Administrator established the Kobe Port Terminal Corporation in 1891. The KPTC constructs foreign trade and ferry terminals; leases, maintains, and improves the terminals; and builds, maintains, and controls facilities related to the foreign trade and ferry terminals.

In 2007, the Port of Kobe served 3849 vessels and over two million TEUs of containerized foreign trade cargoes.

The Port of Kobe is located in an enviable location on major international sea routes that connect more than 500 ports in 130 countries and regions around the world. The Port of Kobe also has many domestic routes throughout western Japan. The Port of Kobe is more than a commodity distribution center. It is a popular recreation area for residents and popular cruise ship destination. When the Kobe Airport opened in 2006, a ferry service between the Port of Kobe and Kansai International Airport began operating, making Kobe a hub for sea, air, and land transportation.

The Port of Kobe?s role in international ocean-borne trade is clear in the 83 routes and 346 calls per month that travel through the port. The Port of Kobe the westernmost of Japan?s big five ports, making it the first port for imports and the last port for exports on the intra-Asian sea routes. China is the port?s biggest trading partner, with 77 container routes connecting the two countries with more than 81 sailings per week. The?Port of Kobe is linked to Japan?s western regions by coastal feeder and ferry services to 26 ports with 66 sailings per week.


The Rokko Island Ferry Terminals in the Port of Kobe contain three berths used by ferry companies providing services to Oita, Imabari, Matsuyama, Shinmoji, and Niihama. The Diamond Ferry Company Limited and Kansai Kisen Kaisha operate from the RF1 berth which is 193 meters long with alongside depth of 7.5 meters. The RF1 terminal covers an area of almost 17.4 thousand square meters. Hankyu Ferry Company Limited operates at the RF2 berth. Its terminal covers 24.9 thousand square meters, and the berth is 266 meters long with alongside depth of 9 meters. The Shikoku Kaihastu Ferry Company Limited operates at the RF3 berth. The RF3 terminal covers almost 22.7 thousand square meters, and the berth is 238 meters long with alongside depth of 8.5 meters.

The Port of Kobe?s Rokko Island Container Terminals cover a total area of 612.5 thousand square meters and contain four berths, all of which have alongside depth of 14 meters. Three of the four berths (RC5, RC6, and RC7) are 350 meters long with terminals of 122.5 thousand square meters. The RC4 berth is 530 meters long, and its terminal covers 245 thousand square meters.

The Port Island Container Terminals in the Port of Kobe contain six piers (PC13 ? PC18) and seven berths. The terminals cover a total of 753.5 thousand square meters and the berths are a total of 1050 meters in length. Each of the seven berths is 350 meters long with alongside depth of 15 meters.

The Port of Kobe?s KPTC Conventional Liner Terminals at Port Island contains a total of 2800 meters of berths with alongside depth of 10 meters. The terminals are equipped with 14 berths (PL2 ? PL15), each of which is 200 meters long.

The Conventional Liner Terminals cover a total area of 259.3 thousand square meters, and each berth has an average of 17.3 thousand square meters of terminal area. The terminals include a total 63.6 thousand square meters of transit sheds. PL8 and PL11 do not include transit sheds, and the transit shed at PL4 covers 11.7 thousand square meters. The remaining 11 berths have transit sheds that average 5.2 thousand square meters each.

In late 2006, the Port of Kobe opened its Shanghai Office because a large proportion of the port?s trade with China traveled through the Port of Shanghai. The Shanghai Office was created to improve Port of Kobe services and promote increased economic and trade exchanges between the two ports.