Car Shipping to Kobe, Japan
On Osaka Bay in Hyogo Prefecture, in the Keihanshin (Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe) area of western Japan. UK Vehicle Exporters Ltd ships vehicles from the UK to Kobe, handling the whole UK side for you: car sourcing, tax-free supply where the car qualifies, buying on your behalf, inspections, collection and delivery to the UK port, UK customs clearance and loading onto the ship.
About Port of Kobe
Kobe was the world's busiest container port from 1973 to 1978 and remains one of Japan's main container gateways, with container terminals on the artificial Port Island and Rokko Island. The city reported about 2.77 million TEU in 2024, down 2.2% on 2023.
Area served: The Kansai region, including Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto.
How Vehicles Are Handled at Kobe
Car carriers are worked at Rokko Island wharf L-2, where stevedores handle cars, large trucks, construction machinery and non-self-propelled cargo on MAFI trailers. Shinko East Pier has a vehicle base with storage for about 2,000 vehicles and an export inspection facility, serving the growing used-car export trade by car carrier and by container.
- Port manager
- City of Kobe Port and Harbor Bureau
- Vehicle berth
- Rokko Island L-2 (car carriers)
- Container throughput
- About 2.77 million TEU in 2024
- Container berths
- 34, with a maximum draught of 18 m
Shipping a Car from the UK to Kobe
We handle the whole UK side of an export to Kobe: sourcing the vehicle, tax-free supply from the selling dealer where the car qualifies, collection from any UK address, UK customs clearance and export documentation, and loading onto the ship by RoRo or container. Current carrier schedules show 6-10 weeks port to port, sailing from Southampton, London Gateway, Liverpool and Felixstowe. Lines on the route include MSC.
Any import duty and taxes are paid by the importer, whoever clears the car. We can arrange customs clearance, registration and delivery to your door through a local agent, quoted separately, or work with an agent of your choice. For costs, the full sailing schedule and everything else about exporting to Japan, see our Japan shipping guide.
Upcoming Sailings to Kobe
Dates are carrier estimates and must be reconfirmed before booking.
| Departs | From | Arrives | Vessel | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 1 Dec 2026 | MSC Tamara IV | MSC |
| 12 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 8 Dec 2026 | MSC Tiger III | MSC |
| 15 Oct 2026 | Liverpool | 15 Dec 2026 | MSC Voyager III | MSC |
| 19 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 1 Dec 2026 | MSC Angola | MSC |
| 20 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 8 Dec 2026 | Captain Thanasis I | MSC |
| 20 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 15 Dec 2026 | MSC Voyager III | MSC |
| 25 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 8 Dec 2026 | MSC Tiger III | MSC |
| 27 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 22 Dec 2026 | MSC Japan III | MSC |
Our Other Services
UK Car Sourcing & Supply
We source any new or used vehicle from any manufacturer in the UK, through our network of franchised dealers, car auctions, classified listings and private sellers, then inspect, purchase and export it to your country.
Buy a Car in the UK on Your Behalf
We check, view and buy the UK car you've found, from a dealer or a private seller, then ship it to you, protecting you from the pitfalls of paying an unknown seller from overseas.
Tax-Free & VAT-Free Vehicle Supply
We find new and VAT-qualifying used cars from VAT-registered dealers who will sell them free of UK VAT for export, which takes a sixth off a VAT-inclusive price. The saving comes from the dealer, not as a refund from us: we are not VAT registered. We arrange the export and give the dealer the proof it needs.
New / Used Car Export
We export new and used cars from the UK every week, sourced from our dealer, auction and trade network or supplied by you, given a multi-point inspection before shipment and shipped worldwide by RoRo or container.
Pre-Purchase Inspections
Before you commit to a car, we check its DVLA, MOT and recall records and run a paid UK history check, then view it, compare it with its logbook and send you photos and a video. A full mechanical inspection by an independent inspector can be added, quoted separately.
Government Pre-Shipping Inspection
Where the destination country requires a pre-export roadworthiness inspection, we arrange it with the approved inspection agency before the sailing so the vehicle is not held up on arrival. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
UK Vehicle Collection & Delivery
We collect any vehicle from any UK address and deliver it to the departure port at £1 per mile, driven on DVLA plates or moved on a carrier, timed to meet the booked sailing.
Secure Vehicle Storage
Vehicles wait with us in a secure compound between purchase and sailing, so there is no rush to move a car the day you buy it and nothing accumulating in storage charges at the port. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
Paintwork Reconditioning
Where a car would arrive the better for it, we can recondition the paintwork before it ships — worth doing while the vehicle is with us rather than paying to sort it out after it lands. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
UK Vehicle Customs Clearance
We make export declarations directly on the UK customs system and prepare every document needed at the UK port of exit, including the Bill of Lading, export certificate and DVLA export documentation.