Kobe Marina Begins Construction

Japan’s Super Yacht Gateway Takes Shape

Construction is now underway on Japan’s first purpose-built superyacht marina at Kobe Port.

The project, which broke ground in April 2025, will feature 180 dedicated berths, on-site hospitality, immigration and customs facilities, and basic maintenance support. Yacht services are expected to begin in 2026, with full infrastructure scheduled to open by 2027.

It’s a significant moment—not just for Japan, but for Asia’s growing superyacht economy.

While Japan has long been admired for its cruising grounds, cultural depth, and maritime safety, it has never truly been set up for extended stays by foreign-flagged yachts. Bureaucratic hurdles, limited berthing options, and fragmented support systems have kept most vessels moving quickly through.

Kobe changes that. Or at least, it begins to.

What Kobe Aims to Solve

At its core, the project addresses a long-standing gap: infrastructure.
Not the kind that involves fixing hulls or upgrading exhaust systems — but the kind that welcomes yachts in the first place.

Things like:

Predictable berthing
Simplified immigration and customs procedures
Guest services and provisioning
Shore power and basic maintenance access

For a country like Japan, which already has the coastline, the climate, and the appeal, the missing piece has always been access. Kobe looks designed to change that.

A History in the Making

This move by Kobe is not a sudden pivot. It’s the result of years of gradual opening and adaptation to cruising super yachts. Japan has over 35,000 km of coastline and thousands of islands, stretching from the subtropical south to the cooler waters of Hokkaido. Traditionally, the country was bureaucratically closed to foreign vessels. But that started to shift in earnest just a few years ago.

Since 2018, a series of changes have made extended visits more realistic: the introduction of the Naikosen cruising permit, removal of time limits on stays for visiting superyachts, and streamlined visa options for crew. What was once a frustrating, paperwork-heavy stop has slowly become an appealing destination.

The result? Yachts that once treated Japan as a brief waypoint are now lingering. Some stay for weeks. Others cruise the island chains for months, taking in remote coastlines and small fishing towns that are now equipped — at least informally — to host them.

That kind of behavioral shift doesn’t happen overnight. It builds season by season, through word of mouth and first-hand experience. Kobe’s project is simply catching up to what’s already in motion.

But It’s Not the Starting Line

If you read the headlines, you’d be forgiven for thinking this marks the beginning of Asia’s superyacht era.

In truth, it’s part of something that’s already been building — slowly, sometimes quietly, but undeniably — for over a decade.

Superyachts have been wintering in Thailand.
Using Southeast Asia as a seasonal base, not just a waypoint.

The region’s support infrastructure might not always make the news, but it exists. And in many places, it’s matured well ahead of the spotlight.

What Kobe Signals

The real significance of Kobe Marina isn’t that it introduces superyacht infrastructure to Asia — it’s that it expands the visible footprint.

It brings Japan into the picture in a more intentional way.
And it does so at a time when itineraries are changing, crew expectations are evolving, and technical teams are increasingly mobile.

In that sense, Kobe doesn’t compete with the existing hubs in Bangkok, Phuket or Singapore.
It complements them.

The vessels already cruising this part of the world won’t suddenly change course. But they may now stay longer. Explore further. Operate with more confidence.

And over time, that benefits everyone — from marinas to managers to the engineers keeping systems running between charters.

Looking Ahead — and Getting On With the Work

Clearvac Engineering Asia is one of the regions leading yacht refit companies and we see Kobe’s marina as an exciting milestone.

More infrastructure in the region means better options for captains and crews.

It means fewer compromises on routing, less pressure on overstretched service ports, and more flexibility for vessels operating in Asia.

And while Japan’s new marina will take time to come online, the needs of the fleet haven’t paused.
The technical work continues — often quietly, often between charters — and it’s that kind of support that keeps vessels compliant, comfortable, and ready.

That’s the work we do!

We support superyachts across Southeast Asia from our vessel refit facility in central Bangkok, where we perform specialised, full-scope, super-yacht refits. our headquatres in Phuket offer vessels services from with our partner shipyard in Ratanachai, and preventative maintenance services are available in Singapore from our regional offices in the locality.