Port of Kobe shipping is the sea gateway to Kansai and western Japan, with container terminals on two man-made islands, Port Island and Rokko Island. Kobe and Osaka together form Hanshin Port, whose container terminals are developed and leased by the Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation, and Kobe handled about 2.77 million TEU in 2024. This guide covers the terminals, Kobe's role as a feeder hub for western Japan, what is specific about clearing cargo there, and how we ship your cargo from Dubai to Kobe. We ship both from Dubai to Kobe and from Kobe to Dubai.
Port of Kobe guide: key facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Port administrator | Kobe City Government |
| Container and ferry terminal company | Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation (HPC), for Hanshin Port (Kobe and Osaka) |
| UN/LOCODE | JPUKB |
| Location | Osaka Bay, Hyogo Prefecture, at the foot of the Rokko mountains |
| Opened | 1868 |
| Container areas | Port Island (PC-13 to PC-18) and Rokko Island (RC-2, RC-4 to RC-7, RS-B/C) |
| Deepest container berths | 16 m at KICT, PC-18 and RC-6/7 |
| Containers handled in 2024 | 2,771,879 TEU, MLIT preliminary figure (2023: 2,835,522 TEU) |
| Foreign trade containers in 2024 | 2,133,121 TEU: 1,151,815 out, 981,306 in |
| Domestic containers in 2024 | 638,758 TEU, the highest domestic figure of any Japanese port |
| Conventional (liner) berths | PL-1 to PL-15 on Port Island, 200 m each at 10 m depth |
| Gate reservation system | CONPAS at PC-18 and KICT |
| Customs authority | Japan Customs |
| Consumption tax on imports | 10% standard, 8% reduced rate |
| Kobe to Dubai | Exporter or its customs broker files the Japanese export declaration; arrival at Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah, 5% UAE duty on CIF for most goods plus 5% VAT |
Where is the Port of Kobe, and should you use Kobe or Osaka?
Kobe sits on Osaka Bay in Hyogo Prefecture, with the Hanshin industrial region behind it. Flat land is short between the sea and the Rokko mountains, which is why the container terminals were built on reclaimed islands. Port Island reclamation began in 1966 and was finished in 1981.
Kobe and Osaka have been run as one harbour, Hanshin Port, since the Osaka Bay ports were merged in 2007. HPC develops and leases the container and ferry terminals at both. They are still separate ports for your booking, with different terminals, so the port on your bill of lading matters.
| Your situation | Port to price first |
|---|---|
| Consignee in Hyogo or western Kansai | Kobe |
| Consignee in Osaka city or eastern Kansai | Price Kobe and Osaka side by side |
| Final destination in Shikoku, Chugoku or Kyushu | Kobe plus a coastal feeder, or a direct call nearer the consignee |
| Very large ship on a deep-sea service | Kobe's 16 m berths at KICT, PC-18 or RC-6/7 |
| Consignee in Greater Tokyo | Tokyo or Yokohama instead |
Which container terminals does the Port of Kobe have?
HPC's terminal list for Kobe, dated May 2026, covers eight container terminal blocks on the two islands. Your carrier's service decides the terminal, and the arrival notice names it.
| Terminal | Lessee / operator | Quay | Depth | Gantry cranes | Main routes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC-13 | Nissin | 350 m | 15 m | 2 | Southeast Asia, China |
| PC-14 to 17 (KICT) | Mitsui O.S.K. Lines / Shosen Koun | 700 m north, 1,050 m east | 15 m and 16 m | 11 | North America West Coast, Southeast Asia, China, Korea, Oceania |
| PC-18 | Kamigumi | 400 m east, 350 m south, 700 m | 16 m, 15 m, 12 m | 7 | Southeast Asia, China, Korea, Europe |
| RC-2 | Mitsui-Soko | 350 m | 13 m | 2 | Southeast Asia, China |
| RC-4, 5 | Kawasaki Kisen / Nitto Total Logistics | 1,050 m | 14 m | 5 | Southeast Asia, China |
| RC-6, 7 | Nippon Yusen / UNI-X NCT and Mitsubishi Logistics | 800 m | 16 m | 7 | North America West Coast, Southeast Asia, Korea |
| RS-B/C | UNI-X NCT | 350 m | 7.5 m | - | Domestic |
Lessees change when carriers move terminals, as the KICT section below shows, so treat this as a snapshot.
KICT on the southern pier of Port Island
HPC is reorganising the berths on the southern pier of Port Island (Phase 2) into one terminal, the Kobe International Container Terminal (KICT). Its plan describes 2,200 m of quay at 15 to 16 m depth, a common gate, CONPAS and remote-controlled electric RTGs in the yard. It also shows a container freight station and a packing shed.
From 1 September 2026, K Line moved its operations to KICT at PC-14 to PC-17, with Nitto Total Logistics running its facilities there. K Line says the terminal will handle nearly 40% of the foreign trade containers at Kobe. For you, this means a booking with one of the larger carrier groups is likely to land at KICT, so check the terminal on the arrival notice even if you used a different one last year.
KICT has 1,668 reefer outlets at 440 V, the most of any Kobe terminal in HPC's list.
PC-18: the Kamigumi terminal
PC-18, leased and operated by Kamigumi, has a 400 m east quay at 16 m, a 350 m south quay at 15 m and 700 m at 12 m, with seven gantry cranes and 372 reefer outlets. HPC has expanded the west side into a large terminal with a 16 m quay, more gates, CONPAS and remote RTGs. HPC lists Europe among its routes, along with Southeast Asia, China and Korea.
Rokko Island container berths
Rokko Island is the second container island, east of Port Island. RC-6 and RC-7 are the deep-sea berths, 800 m at 16 m depth with seven cranes. RC-4 and RC-5 offer 1,050 m at 14 m, and RC-2 is 350 m at 13 m. RS-B/C is a shallow 7.5 m domestic berth. HPC is converting yards for coastal feeder berths on Rokko Island so domestic and international boxes can be handled together.
Why Kobe works as a feeder hub for western Japan
Kobe's domestic container volume, 638,758 TEU in 2024, is higher than any other Japanese port's. Much of that is coastal feeder traffic moving boxes between Kobe's deep-sea services and smaller ports. HPC's network page (June 2026) lists weekly feeder calls to seven regions.
| Region | Ports served by feeder | Examples (calls per week) |
|---|---|---|
| Kyushu | 13 | Hibiki 5, Moji 5, Hakata 2.5, Oita 2 |
| Shikoku | 6 | Mishimakawanoe 6.5 |
| Chugoku | 9 | Hiroshima 12.5 |
| Kinki | 5 | - |
| Tokai | 5 | Yokkaichi 3.5 |
| Kanto | 3 | Tokyo 2.5, Yokohama 2.5, Kawasaki 0.5 |
| Sea of Japan | 5 | Tsuruga, Toyama, Naoetsu, Niigata, Akita, 1 to 1.5 each |
These figures cover Hanshin Port as a whole and some are two-week averages. A decision rule: if your consignee is near a small port in Shikoku, Chugoku or Kyushu that no deep-sea carrier calls, a through bill of lading to that port via Kobe is often simpler than a long truck move. We ask the carrier whether it offers the feeder leg on its own bill of lading.
What cargo moves through the Port of Kobe?
Unlike Tokyo, Kobe exports more containers than it imports. In 2024 its foreign trade boxes were 1,151,815 TEU outbound against 981,306 TEU inbound. Kobe itself is home to major steel and shipbuilding companies, and the city makes food products, small appliances, communications and transport equipment.
For you, the export bias matters when you plan return loads or compare carriers: services into Kobe are built around Kansai's export trade, so ask whether your box comes direct or via a transhipment hub.
FCL, LCL and reefer shipping to the Port of Kobe
- FCL (full container load). You book a whole 20ft or 40ft box. It is discharged at your carrier's terminal and trucked to the consignee once cleared.
- LCL (less than container load). Your cargo shares a box and is unpacked at a container freight station, such as the CFS planned at KICT. It suits small orders, but every shipper's papers in the box affect the release.
- Reefer. Kobe's main terminals list reefer outlets, from 144 at RC-2 to 1,668 at KICT.
Once your cargo fills a good part of a 20ft box, price FCL to Kobe too. A full box is trucked from the carrier's terminal on Port Island or Rokko Island once cleared, while an LCL load waits at a container freight station until every shipper's papers are in order. Our guide to FCL vs LCL costs shows where the break-even usually sits, and our sea freight service lists the container types we book.
Breakbulk and project cargo at Kobe's liner berths
Kobe keeps a large block of conventional berths. Port Island has 15 liner berths, PL-1 to PL-15, each 200 m long at 10 m depth, with yards of about 18,000 to 22,300 m² and transit sheds behind most of them. They are leased to stevedoring and logistics companies such as Kamigumi, Nippon Express, Sumitomo Warehouse, Nissin and Sankyu.
- Send drawings, dimensions, weights and centre of gravity for each piece.
- Choose between a flat rack on a container service and a conventional breakbulk or heavy-lift ship.
- Confirm the discharge berth and lifting gear with the carrier. A 10 m liner berth may limit the ship size.
- Check the road move off Port Island with the consignee's trucker, including permits for wide or heavy loads.
- Line up customs before arrival so the cargo leaves the quay quickly.
A rule of thumb: if a piece fits a 40ft flat rack by size and weight, a container service gives you more sailings into Kobe. If not, the breakbulk ship's sailing date drives the plan. See our guide to flat racks, open tops and breakbulk and our break bulk and project cargo service.
Dangerous goods to the Port of Kobe
You can ship IMDG dangerous goods to Kobe on container services that accept the class. Before loading in Dubai you need the UN number, proper shipping name, class and packing group, a Safety Data Sheet, a signed Dangerous Goods Declaration, UN-approved packaging with labels and placards, and written carrier acceptance.
Japan Customs checks 30 other laws at import. For DG cargo, the usual ones are the High Pressure Gas Safety Act, the Poisonous and Deleterious Substance Control Act, the Explosives Control Act and the chemical substances law. The importer must hold any approval before the declaration. If the box will move on by coastal feeder, ask the carrier to confirm that the feeder ship also accepts the class. Our dangerous goods shipping team checks classification and acceptance for every leg.
Gates, CONPAS and free time at Kobe
CONPAS (Container Fast Pass) is a system developed by Japan's transport ministry to cut queues at terminal gates. At Hanshin Port it runs at Kobe PC-18, Kobe KICT and Osaka's Yumeshima terminal. It covers reservations for collecting and delivering boxes, advance checks of collection data, and PS card entry for trucks. Ask your trucker whether the terminal needs a reserved slot before sending a truck.
Each carrier sets free days for its containers. After that, demurrage runs while the full box stays in the terminal, and detention runs while you keep it outside. Our article on demurrage and detention explains how the charges add up.
Customs at the Port of Kobe: the short version
Kobe follows the same Japan Customs rules as every Japanese port.
- Advance filing. Since March 2014, the carrier or NVOCC must file container cargo data with Japan Customs, in principle 24 hours before the ship leaves the port of loading.
- Pre-arrival examination. Once the bill of lading is issued, the importer can submit documents to the customs office that controls the bonded area where the box will land, and learn in advance whether it faces an inspection.
- Import declaration. The importer files it (Customs Form C-5020), usually through a customs broker, normally after the goods enter a bonded (Hozei) area.
- Documents. Invoice, bill of lading, and where needed a certificate of origin, packing list, freight and insurance documents, and licences under other laws.
- Tax. Consumption tax is 10%, or 8% at the reduced rate, on the customs value plus duty plus any excise tax.
One Kobe point: if the box is going on by feeder to another Japanese port, agree with the importer where it will be cleared, at Kobe or at the final port, before the ship sails. The UAE and Japan concluded CEPA negotiations in March 2026, but we found no confirmation that the agreement is in force, so plan on standard duty rates.
How to ship from Dubai to the Port of Kobe, step by step
- Send us the cargo details: commodity, HS code, weight, volume or dimensions, the consignee's address and the Incoterm.
- Confirm Japanese controls. The importer checks food, plant, chemical or gas approvals and starts them early.
- Pick the port and service. We compare Kobe with Osaka for your consignee, and check which Kobe terminal each carrier uses.
- Book space. For DG, reefer or out-of-gauge cargo we get carrier acceptance first, including any feeder leg.
- Prepare documents. We check that names, weights, marks and HS codes match across invoice, packing list and bill of lading.
- Export from Dubai. We truck the cargo to Jebel Ali Port, file the export declaration with Dubai Customs and gate in before the cut-off.
- Carrier files the advance data with Japan Customs before the ship sails.
- Clear and deliver in Kobe. The importer's broker files the declaration and pays duty and tax, and the trucker books a CONPAS slot where needed.
Published transit indications vary. Fluent Cargo, a route tool, shows about 26 days from Khor Fakkan to Kobe with one transhipment, and about 34 days from Jebel Ali, also with one transhipment, with sailings every two to four weeks on that routing. Treat these as indications only.
[AMIR-FACT: the carriers or services we actually book from Jebel Ali to Kobe, which Kobe terminal each uses, and our typical port-to-port days]
For urgent cargo, Kansai International Airport serves the Kobe and Osaka area. Fluent Cargo lists direct flights from Dubai International to Kansai of about 9 hours 10 minutes. See our air cargo service.
How to ship from the Port of Kobe to Dubai
We also handle the other direction: shipping from Kobe to Dubai, with arrival at Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah port. We book the space with the carrier and run the UAE side. The Japanese export filing stays with the shipper or its customs broker in Japan.
The Japan export side
- Export declaration. The exporter or its customs broker prepares the export declaration, and Japan Customs checks it against the invoice and other documents.
- Hozei area. The goods must be brought into a customs (hozei) area or a specially permitted place before export. The export permit is issued after any examination.
- Other laws. Some cargo needs approval under other laws first, such as the Export Trade Control Order, which the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry runs. Customs will not permit the export until that is confirmed.
The UAE import side
When the box from Kobe reaches Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah, we lodge the import declaration with Dubai Customs. It carries the Kobe shipper's commercial invoice and packing list, the certificate of origin and any permit from the authority that controls restricted goods. The carrier releases the box with a delivery order against the bill of lading issued for the Kobe loading. Most goods pay customs duty of 5% of the CIF value in Dubai; alcohol pays 50% and cigarettes 100%. Import VAT is 5% of the customs value including freight, insurance and customs fees. If the UAE importer is VAT-registered and meets the Federal Tax Authority conditions, it accounts for that VAT on its return instead of paying at the border.
- Send us the shipper's details in Kobe, the cargo, the HS code and the UAE delivery address.
- We book space from Kobe to Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah and send the booking and cut-offs to the shipper.
- The shipper or its trucker delivers the container to the Kobe terminal on the booking, on Port Island or Rokko Island, before the cut-off.
- The shipper or its Japanese agent files the export declaration with Japan Customs before the cut-off.
- We check the draft bill of lading against the invoice and packing list before it is issued.
- We file the UAE declaration before the vessel arrives, so clearance can start when it berths.
- We arrange payment of the duty and VAT and collect the delivery order from the carrier.
- We truck the cargo to your site and return the empty container inside the free time.
[AMIR-FACT: the carriers we actually use from Kobe to Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah, which Kobe terminal they load at, and our real port-to-port transit days in this direction]
Checklist before you ship to the Port of Kobe
- HS code checked against Japan's current tariff.
- Importer and customs broker in Japan confirmed.
- Kobe or Osaka chosen by the consignee's location, not by habit.
- Food, plant, chemical or gas approvals started before sailing.
- Precise cargo description given at booking for the advance filing.
- Invoice, packing list and bill of lading show the same consignee, weights and marks.
- Terminal confirmed on the arrival notice, and CONPAS slot booked if needed.
- Feeder leg and place of clearance agreed if the box goes beyond Kobe.
- For DG: SDS, DG declaration, packaging, labels and acceptance for every leg.
Common mistakes on Kobe shipments
- Assuming Kobe and Osaka are one port for your booking. They are both Hanshin Port, but terminals and bills of lading differ.
- Sending the truck to last year's terminal after a carrier has moved, as K Line did to KICT in 2026.
- Booking a feeder leg without checking that the feeder ship takes your DG class.
- Vague cargo descriptions that trigger questions under the advance filing rules before loading.
- Pricing duty on the invoice value alone. Freight and insurance are part of the customs value.
- Sending a large breakbulk ship to a 10 m liner berth without checking draft.
Frequently asked questions
Who operates the port of Kobe?
The Kobe City Government administers the port. The Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation develops, leases and maintains the container and ferry terminals of Hanshin Port, and companies such as Kamigumi, Shosen Koun and Nitto Total Logistics work the terminals.
What is the port code for Kobe?
The UN/LOCODE for the Port of Kobe is JPUKB. You will see it on bookings, bills of lading and tracking systems.
How many containers does the Port of Kobe handle?
MLIT's preliminary figure for 2024 is 2,771,879 TEU, down from 2,835,522 TEU in 2023. Of the 2024 total, 2,133,121 TEU were foreign trade containers and 638,758 TEU domestic.
What is the KICT terminal in the port of Kobe?
KICT is the Kobe International Container Terminal on the southern pier of Port Island, built by reorganising PC-13 to PC-17 into one terminal with about 2,200 m of quay at 15 to 16 m depth. K Line began operating there on 1 September 2026.
Is the Port of Kobe the same as the Port of Osaka?
No. Both are part of Hanshin Port, and one company develops their container terminals, but they are separate ports with their own terminals. Kobe's terminals are on Port Island and Rokko Island, and Osaka's are at Sakishima and Yumeshima.
Can cargo go from Kobe to smaller Japanese ports?
Yes. Hanshin Port has coastal feeder services to ports in Kyushu, Shikoku, Chugoku, Tokai, Kanto and the Sea of Japan coast. Ask the carrier whether the feeder leg can go on its own bill of lading.
How long does sea freight from Dubai to Kobe take?
Published indications on one route tool range from about 26 days from Khor Fakkan to about 34 days from Jebel Ali, both with one transhipment. Ask for the carrier's own schedule for your sailing.
Can I ship dangerous goods to the Port of Kobe?
Yes, on Kobe container services that accept the class, with full IMDG documents and packaging. If the box moves on by coastal feeder, that ship must accept the class too. High-pressure gases, poisonous substances and some chemicals also need approvals under Japanese law, which the importer must hold before the declaration.
How do I ship from Kobe to Dubai?
The exporter or its customs broker files the Japanese export declaration and delivers the box to the Kobe terminal before the cut-off. We book the space, file the Dubai Customs declaration before arrival, arrange payment of the 5% duty and 5% VAT, and deliver to your site.
Get a quote for Port of Kobe shipping
Send us your cargo details and the consignee's address, and we will come back with a routing and a price to Kobe. Use our freight rate inquiry form, or contact our team to talk through a breakbulk, DG or feeder shipment first. You can also read more about our Dubai freight forwarding team.
Sources
- Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation: Container terminals of Kobe and Osaka (Kobe table as of May 2026)
- Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation: Facilities (Port Island and Rokko Island areas)
- Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation: Liner berths PL-1 to PL-15
- Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation: Terminal redevelopment (KICT, PC-18, Rokko Island)
- Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation: CONPAS at Hanshin Port
- Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation: Route network and coastal feeders (June 2026)
- Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation: Business introduction
- Hellenic Shipping News: K Line announces start of operations at Kobe PC14-17 (August 2026)
- MLIT: Container cargo volume at Japanese ports in 2024, preliminary (port-by-port TEU)
- MLIT: Correction notice to the 2024 container statistics (September 2025)
- Ship Technology: Port of Kobe (administrator, history, Port Island reclamation, Hanshin Port merger)
- Wikipedia: Port of Kobe (location, artificial islands, Hanshin industrial region)
- iContainers: Port of Kobe (UN/LOCODE)
- Japan Customs: Import procedures
- Japan Customs: Advance Filing Rules on maritime container cargo
- Japan Customs: Pre-arrival examination system
- Japan Customs: Tariff rates and consumption tax
- Japan Customs: Other laws checked at import
- Gulf Business: UAE concludes CEPA negotiations with Japan (March 2026)
- Fluent Cargo: Dubai to Kobe routes (transit indications)
- Japan Customs: Export procedures (declaration, hozei area, export permit, other laws)
- Dubai Customs: Submit customs declaration (invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, permits)
- Dubai Customs: FAQ (5% of CIF value, alcohol and cigarettes)
- UAE Government portal: Clearing customs and paying customs duty (5% of CIF in Dubai)
- Federal Tax Authority: VAT guide, section 3.5 on import VAT (5%, customs value, registered importers)
Reviewed: 10 November 2026