| The Port of Kobe is the capital of Hyogo prefecture in west-central Honshu, the largest island in Japan. With the nearby cities of Osaka and Kyoto, it is the second largest urban and industrial area in Japan. Port History Archeological evidence suggests that the area was populated during the ancient Jomon period (from 14000 to 400 BC). Natural geographic features led to the development of an important port and economic center. Historically known as Owada Anchorage, the earliest records describe Empress Jingu's founding of the Ikuta Shrine in 201 AD. The Port of Kobe was the capital of Japan briefly in 1180. A few years after that (1184), the Genpei War was fought at the Ikuta Shrine and nearby Taira fortress. The Port of Kobe grew in importance during the 13th Century when trade with China and other Asian countries increased. When the han system was abolished in 1871, the area became politically distinct, and modern Kobe was founded in 1889. The Port of Kobe, then known as Hyogo Port, was one of the first Japanese cities that opened for trade with the West. In fact, the Port now contains a Chinatown, a synagogue, and European architecture reflecting its early role in foreign trade. The Port of Kobe was bombed in 1945, almost nine thousand residents were killed, and a fifth of the urban area was destroyed. In 1975, the city council passed an ordinace forbidding vessels to carry nuclear weapons from the Port of Kobe, thus preventing US warships from entering the port. Port Commerce The Port of Kobe is a major shipbuilding and steel production center for Japan. Until the devastating Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, the Port of Kobe was Japan's busiest port. Since then, it has slipped to the fourth port in Japan. Today, the Port of Kobe is key to the movement of people, goods, and information in Japan. Improvements have made it one of the world's most important container ports. The port has 34 container terminals with up-to-date facilities and equipment for handling cargo. All of western Japan and the Hokuriku and Chubu regions are its hinterland, and it is linked directly to those areas by expressway and ferry networks. The Kobe Port Terminal Corporation (KPTC) was established in 1981, replacing the earlier Hanshin Port Development Authority. The KPTC is responsible for building, leasing, and maintaining container terminals and ferry terminals that vessel operating and harbor transportation companies rent and to manage common areas. Their mission is to strengthen port functions, increase foreign trade, and develop the local economy. The Port Island Container Terminals contain six berths with a draft of 15 meters and total quay length of 2500 meters. Total terminal area is 75 hectares. Conventional liner terminals at Port Island contain 12 berths with a draft of ten meters and total quay length of 2800 metes. Total terminal area is 26 hectares, and the transit shed floor is 6.9 hectares. Rokko Island container terminals offer five berths with a draft of 14 meters and total terminal area of over 60 hectares. In 2005, KPTC terminals handled over 92 thousand tons of containerized cargo and 4200 vessels. The entire Port of Kobe and KPTC terminals handled 32 thousand tons of foreign trade containerized cargo that same year. Cruising One of the most beautiful ports in the world, the Port of Kobe has two cruise terminals. The international Kobe Port Cruise Terminal on the scenic waterfront at Shinko Pier No. 4 contains conference facilities, and the Naka Pier Cruise Terminal at Naka Pier is a 7-minute walk from the local subway. Passengers arriving at the Port of Kobe will find a warm welcome, complete with fireboat sprays and a formal welcome ceremony aboard ship. They�l also have an introduction to Japanese culture with performances of Japanese drums, harps, dances and karate, |
