MOL expands Kobe terminal capacity

The agreement with HPC covers Berths PC14–17 and follows expansion work carried out by Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation. The move will enable Kobe International Container Terminal (KICT), jointly operated by MOL, Sankyu, The Sumitomo Warehouse and Nickel & Lyons, to expand from three berths to four.

KICT will also welcome K Line as a new participant. The enlarged terminal is expected to become one of Japan’s largest container facilities, handling about 40% of containerised international cargo passing through the Port of Kobe.

The expansion will increase KICT’s total quay length from 1,050 metres to 1,750 metres. MOL said the additional capacity will provide greater flexibility in vessel berthing windows while improving transshipment connectivity with other shipping routes.

The upgraded terminal will also feature 12 new electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes equipped with remote-control technology. Operators will be able to control the cranes from a dedicated building, removing the need to work directly on the equipment and providing protection from adverse weather.

MOL said the technology is expected to reduce physical strain, while improving safety and operational productivity. The company is also advancing digital transformation through CONPAS, its port information system, which entered full-scale, round-the-clock operation at the end of March.

The system is intended to address growing congestion at container terminal gates, which has contributed to longer trailer waiting times and disrupted domestic logistics.

MOL is additionally pursuing lower-emission terminal operations by installing solar panels at container gates and on logistics facility rooftops, supporting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its port activities.