Outline
Kobe Port is designated as one of the Specially Designated Major Ports, having developed as an international port, ever since the 12th century when Taira no Kiyomori carried out renovation of a port called “Owada no Tomari” in the area and used it as a key port for the trade between Japan and Song Dynasty of China. Kobe Port now serves as an important part of the Designated Super-hub Port, “Hanshin Port.”
Since Japan’s first container ship entered Maya Wharf in 1967, the port has operated offshore container terminals, in order to meet various needs in relation to the increase of container cargoes and increase in size of the vessels. The main terminals are located in Rokko Island and Port Island 2nd-stage District. The port also supports livelihood of people in Kansai Area, serving as a trade center for importing various provisions such as vegetables, fruits, wheat and soybeans as well as clothes.
History of Development and Usage
| 1867 |
Hyogo Port was opened. |
| 1923 |
The port was designated as a Major Port. |
| 1951 |
Kobe port was designated as a Specially Designated Major Port. |
| 1967 |
Maya Wharf was completed. |
| 1970 |
Port Terminal and Kobe Bridge were completed. |
| 1979 |
Suma Yacht Harbor (South Harbor) was completed.
Artery road of the port area (the eastern section of Hamate bypath, between Shinko and Maya) was opened. |
| 1980 |
Rokko Bridge was partly opened. |
| 1993 |
Artery road of the port area, “Harbor Highway,” was fully opened. |
| 1994 |
Hanshin Expressway “Osaka Bay Route” #5 between Rokko Island and Kansai International Airport was opened. |
| 1995 |
Great Hanshin Earthquake struck the region.
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| 1996 |
Operations of Japan’s first, very deep, high-standard container berths, PC-14 and 15, started. |
| 1999 |
Minatojima Tunnel was opened. |
| 2001 |
Nagisa Park in the eastern waterfront area was opened. |
| 2002 |
Designated as a “Recycle Port” for the overall reverse logistics.Operations of Port Island 2nd-stage container berth PC13 started. |
| 2003 |
Operations of Port Island 2nd-stage container berth PC18 started. |
| 2004 |
Designated as a Super-hub Port as a partof Hanshin Port. |
| 2005 |
Designated as a Specially Designated Major Port. |
| 2006 |
Kobe airports was opened.
Bay Shuttle between Kobe and Kansai International Airport started its service. |
| 2007 |
Varios ports in Osaka Bay started to function as a single entity. |
| 2008 |
Nishi Green Area in Kobe Airport Island was opened. |
| 2010 |
Hanshin Port (Kobe and Osaka Ports) was selected as a Strategic Port for International Container Ships. |
Breakdown items of freight (2009)
