The Kobe City Government administers the Port of Kobe. The Port of Kobe Ports and Harbors Office within the city government promotes port planning, up-to-date facilities, and physical modifications that make the Port of Kobe competitive in the modern age of internationalization. The Kobe Port Terminal Corporation (KPTC) constructs, maintains, and leases port terminals. The harbors within Osaka Bay were integrated into the single Hanshin Harbor under Japan's port regulations.

The Port of Kobe has an outstanding natural harbor, and it has been a trading hub for commerce with ports on the Korean peninsula and the Chinese continent for many centuries. Opening in 1868, the modern Port of Kobe is strategically located at the center of the Japanese archipelago. The Port of Kobe is convenient to commercial ocean routes that link it to more than 500 ports around the world. The Port of Kobe is also linked to western Japan by domestic sea routes that travel the Seto Inland Sea.

The Port of Kobe is much more than a center for the handling and distribution of cargo. It is also a popular recreational center with two cruise terminals and a ferry terminal. With the opening of the Kobe Airport in 2006, the Port of Kobe became a land, sea, and air transportation hub and a true international port city.

The Port of Kobe is Japan's fourth busiest port. The Rokko Mountains at the rear of the Port of Kobe block seasonal winds and protect the port. Because no rivers flow into the waters of the Port of Kobe, it is not necessary to dredge to maintain depth. Nestled within the protected Osaka Bay off the Seto Inland Sea, there is little tidal variation, making the Port of Kobe ideal for mooring large vessels. With mountains to the rear and the bay at its face, the Port of Kobe boasts breathtaking natural beauty as well. The Port of Kobe is not only strategically located for commercial shipping. It is also an industrial and ship-building hub that produces products like communications and transportation equipment, small appliances, and food.

With an area of 595 hectares, Rokko Island was built on Osaka Bay landfill in the 1970s to help the Port of Kobe support large commercial vessels by providing modern deep-water facilities and a marine city culture with residential and business centers and public facilities. Covering 390 hectares of landfill in Osaka Bay, Port Island's second construction phase was undertaken in the late 1980s to meet the needs for a modern international information-based center for the Port of Kobe. Both islands house container terminals, deep-water berths, and earthquake-resistant wharves. The Rokko and Port Island projects allowed the Port of Kobe to expand its distribution network and domestic feeder functions.

In 1999, the Minatojima Tunnel connected the Shinko Higashi Wharf in the Port of Kobe with Port Island to help meet increasing ocean-borne traffic volumes after the container terminal on Port Island was finished. The tunnel was recognized for its innovative design and construction techniques with technical awards from the Society of Civil Engineers.

Today, the Port of Kobe is focusing on improving and modernizing its distribution services and on assuring that the Port of Kobe is a user-friendly port by integrating hardware and software in its construction activities. The Port of Kobe is working with Osaka Port to realize an integrated Super Hub Port, Hanshin Port, with large-scale deep-water quays and easy-access facilities that support increased cargo-handling, lower costs, and better service. The Port of Kobe is also emphasizing the construction of seawalls and breakwaters that protect both the port and the urban zone from tsunamis. The Port of Kobe is also improving the port security system to prevent international crime and terrorism. The Port of Kobe is reorganizing and consolidating to assure efficient transportation and to support the area's special economic zones. Finally, the Port of Kobe is working to integrate the city's waterfront zones with the urban district.

In 2009, the Port of Kobe welcomed 36,482 vessels carrying 77 million tons of cargo. In March 2010, the Port of Kobe contained 141 public berths totaling 26.3 thousand meters (86.5 thousand feet) in length and 52 private berths totaling 7540 meters (24.7 thousand feet) in length. The Kobe Port Terminal Corporation had 33 berths with a total length of 9406 meters (30.9 thousand feet), and there were nine dolphin berths totaling 31 meters (102 feet). The Port of Kobe's breakwaters were a total of 13.6 thousand meters (44.8 thousand feet). In March 2010, the Port of Kobe had 49 container cranes, including 29 owned by KPTC, and its 75 public transit sheds covered an area of 27.1 hectares (271 thousand meters).

• Container terminals

In 2011, over four thousand container vessels called at KPTC Terminals carrying 93.4 million gross tons and almost two million TEUs of containerized cargo.

There are six container terminals at the Port of Kobe's Port Island. Except for Berth PC18, all berths have berthing distance of 350 meters (1148 feet) with alongside depth of 15 meters (49.2 feet). Berth PC13 is leased by American President Lines Ltd. and The Sumitomo Warehouse Company Limited, and the 12.9 hectare terminal is operated by The Sumitomo Warehouse Company.

The 12.3-hectare terminal at the Port of Kobe's Berth PC14 is leased by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Limited and operated by Shosen Koun Company Limited (Japanese). The Port of Kobe's 12.9-hectare terminal at Berth PC15 is leased by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, The Sumitomo Warehouse Company, Sankyu Inc., and Nickel & Lyons Limited (Japanese) and operated by Shosen Koun Company Limited (Japanese), The Sumitomo Warehouse Company, Sankyu Inc., and Nickel & Lyons. Mitsui-Soko Company Limited both leases and operates the 12.9-hectare terminal at Berth PC 16 and the 12.3-hectare terminal at Berth PC17 on the Port of Kobe's Port Island.

The Port of Kobe's terminal at Berth PC18 is a high-standard container terminal with quays that can support 5500-TEU-class vessels with drafts to 15 meters (49.2 feet). Kamigumi Company Limited both leases and operates the 16.3-hectare terminal. Berth PC has berthing distance of 400 meters (1312 feet) with alongside depth of 16 meters (52.5 feet) on one side and berthing distance of 350 meters (1148 feet) with alongside depth of 15 meters (49.2 feet) on the other side.

Rokko Island in the Port of Kobe has three container terminals with a total area of 61.3 hectares. The Port of Kobe 12.3-hectare container terminal at Rokko Island Berth RC2 is leased and operated by Mitsui-Soko Company Limited. RC2 has berthing distance of 350 meters (1148.3 feet) with alongside depth of 13 meters (42.7 feet). The 24.5-hectare container terminal at the Port of Kobe's RC4 on Rokko Island is leased by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Limited and operated by Nitto Total Logistics Limited (Japanese). RC4 has berthing distance of 530 meters (1739 feet) with alongside depth of 14 meters (45.9 feet). The 12.3-hectare container terminal at Rokko Island's Berth RC5 in the Port of Kobe is leased by Maersk K.K. and operated by the Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation. RC5 has berthing distance of 350 meters (1148 feet) with alongside depth of 14 meters (45.9 feet). Nippon Yusen Kaisha Limited leases the container terminals at the Port of Kobe's RC6 and RC7 berths. Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation operates the Port of Kobe 12.3-hectare container terminal at the Rokko Island Berth RC6 which has berthing distance of 350 meters with alongside depth of 14 meters. UNI-X Corporation and Nippon Container Terminal Company Limited operate the 12.3-hectare container terminal at Berth RC7 which has berthing distance of 350 meters with alongside depth of 14 meters.

• Bulk and breakbulk terminals

There are 12 KPTC terminals for conventional cargoes at the Port of Kobe's Port Island. Each of the berths at these terminals operated by KPTC has berthing distance of 200 meters (656 feet) with alongside depth of 10 meters (32.8 feet). Nippn Express Company Limited leases the 4.5-acre terminal at Berth PL2 in the Port of Kobe. The terminal has 5340 square meters (25.2 thousand square feet) of transit shed space. The 5.2-acre terminal at PL3 is leased by The Shibusawa Warehouse Company Limited which has a 5336 square meter (57.4 thousand square foot) transit shed.

The Port of Kobe's 4.4-acre conventional terminal at Berth PL4 on Port Island is leased by Kamigumi Company Limited, and it has a 1.8-acre transit shed at the terminal. Tatsumi Shokai Company Limited leases the 4.5-acre terminal at Berth PL5 in the Port of Kobe, and it has a 5346 square meter (57.6 thousand square foot) transit shed. The 4.5-acre conventional terminal at the Port of Kobe's Port Island Berth PL6 is leased by The Sumitomo Warehouse Company which maintains a 5400 square meter (58.1 thousand square foot) transit shed at the terminal.

The 4.5-acre conventional terminal at the Port Island Berth PL7 in the Port of Kobe is leased by Omori Kaisoten Company Limited, and there is a 4412 square meter (47.5 thousand square foot) transit shed at the terminal. Tatsumi Shokai Company leases the 4.5-acre conventional terminal at the Port of Kobe's Berth PL8 on Port Island. The Ocean Marine Transportation Company Limited leases the 4.5-acre conventional terminal at Berth PL9 at the Port of Kobe's Port Island, where it has a 5212 square meter (56.1 thousand square foot) transit shed.

The 5.6-acre conventional terminal at the Port of Kobe's Port Island Berth PL10 is leased by Shinwa Limited, and Shinwa has a 5590 square meter (60.2 thousand square foot) transit shed at the terminal. Berth PL12's 4.5-acre conventional terminal is leased by Nickel & Lyons Limited which operates a 5456 square meter (58.7 thousand square foot) transit shed. The 4.5-acre conventional terminal at the Port Island Berth PL13 in the Port of Kobe is leased by Nisshin Company Limited which operates a 5311 square meter (57.2 thousand square foot) transit shed at the terminal.

Sankyu Inc. leases the conventional terminals at Berths PL14 and PL15 on Port Island in the Port of Kobe. Berth PL14 has a 4.5 acre terminal and a 5311 square meter (57.2 thousand square foot) transit shed. Berth PL 15 has a 4.6-acre terminal and a 4511 square meter (48.6 thousand square foot) transit shed.

• Cruise terminals

The Port of Kobe has two dedicated passenger terminals. The Naka Pier Cruise Terminal opened in 2006 after the Naka Pier was converted into an international cruise terminal. The Kobe Port Terminal has some of the biggest facilities in Western Japan. Both of these Port of Kobe cruise terminals have boarding bridge that link the vessels with the terminal building for the comfort and safety of passengers as the board or de-board their cruise vessel.

The Port of Kobe's Naka Pier Cruise Terminal contains Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine facilities in addition to its mobile barrier-free boarding bridge. Naka Pier can accommodate passenger vessels to 50 thousand gross tons. Located in the center of the Port of Kobe's waterfront area, visitors will find the shopping and leisure complex nearby within easy walking distance. The Port of Kobe's Naka Pier Cruise Terminal's berth is 286 meters (938 feet) long with alongside depth of nine meters (29.5 feet). Its apron width is 20 meters (65.6 feet).

The Kobe Port Terminal has six berths on either side of Shinko Pier No. 4 and can handle a variety of passenger vessels, including ships to 150 thousand gross tons. This Port of Kobe passenger terminal is within five minutes of the city center. Berths Q1, Q2, and R (East Side) have a total berthing distance of 649 meters (2129 feet) with alongside depth of 11 meters (36.1 feet). The Port of Kobe's Berths O2, R, and P (West Side) have combined berthing distance of 589 meters (1932 feet). Berth O2 has alongside depth of ten meters (32.8 feet). Berth R has alongside depth of 9.3 meters (30.5 meters), and Berth P has alongside depth of nine meters (29.5 feet). The apron width at this Port of Kobe passenger terminal is 15 meters (49.2 feet).

The Port of Kobe's Rokko Island Ferry Terminals occupy three berths. Operating between the Port of Kobe and Oita, Ferry Sunflower Limited leases the 4.35-acre terminal at the Port of Kobe's Berth RF1 which has berthing distance of 193 meters (633 feet) with alongside depth of 7.5 meters (24.6 feet). Hankyu Ferry Company Limited operates the Port of Kobe to Shunmoji route and leases the 6.23-acre Port of Kobe ferry terminal at Berth RF2. Berth RF2 has berthing distance of 266 meters (873 feet) with alongside depth of nine meters (29.5 feet). Operating the Port of Kobe to Nihama route, Shikoku Kaihastu Ferry Company Limited leases the 5.67-acre passenger terminal at the Port of Kobe's Berth RF3. RF3 has berthing distance of 238 meters (781 feet) with alongside depth of 8.5 meters (27.9 feet).

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