PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Sakai
Pilot
updated Dec 2012Compulsory for vessels of 10,000GT or more, and available during day light hours only.
Vessels should confirm arrival at the Pilot boarding area 6 hours in advance and any amendments to the ETA should be notified immediately.
VHF contact with Baypilot Kobe when approximately 50nm off the Pilot boarding area.
Vessels bound for Osaka Wan should maintain continuous listening watch on VHF Ch 16 when N of the line joining Muroto Saki (33°15.0'N 134°11.0'E) and Shiono Misaki (33°26.0'N 135°46.0'E).
Key data
updated Jun 2019Size limits
Max draught 14.5m, LOA 333m, beam 60m, 260,000DWT.
Water density
1025.
Load line zone
Summer.
Tides
Range, max 1.62m; min 0.13m; average 0.97m.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iisaka Flour Milling Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Terminal | 14.50 m | 333 m | 9 |
| Mitsui Chemicals, Osaka Factory | 14.50 m | 270 m | 2 |
| Nippon Petroleum Refining Co. | 14.50 m | 276 m | 3 |
| Sakai Cosmo L.P.G. Terminal Co., Ltd. | 14.50 m | 333 m | 1 |
| Sukematsu Wharf International Vehicle Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| Cosmo Crude Oil Pier | 14.00 m | 313 m | 1 |
| Marubeni-Ennex - Sakai Terminal | — | 249 m | 4 |
| Senboku I LNG Terminal | 13.50 m | — | 2 |
| Iwatani Terminal | 13.00 m | 246 m | 1 |
| Sakai LNG Terminal | 12.12 m | 315 m | 1 |
| Sukematsu Wharf International Container Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| Senboku Section 5 | — | — | 54 |
| Senboku II LNG Terminal | 12.00 m | 298 m | 3 |
| Sakai Section 2 | — | — | 10 |
All 21 terminals
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osaka International Refining Terminal (OIREC) | — | — | 9 |
| Takashi Chemical Terminal | 7.40 m | 114 m | 1 |
| Cosmo Oil Shipment Pier | — | — | 8 |
| Japan VAM & POVAL (JVP) | 5.00 m | 73 m | 1 |
| Pacific Cement Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| Sakai Section 3 | — | — | 1 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Jun 2019Approach
Hamadera Fairway and Sakai South Fairway passages are always under the control of Sakai Maritime Safety Agency who must be notified prior to vessel's arrival.
Anchorages
The quarantine anchorage used by vessels bound for Sakai-Senboku Ku is situated on the N side of Sakai South Fairway (34°37'N 135°23'E).
Anchor berths are allocated by the Captain of the Port.
Anchorage is prohibited in Hamadera Fairway. A prohibited area marked by light beacons, has been established off the shoreline to the S of the entrance to Hamadera Hakuchi.
Restrictions
Izumi-Otsu Bridge with a least vertical clearance of 15m spans the two harbours.
Tugs
Mitsui OSK are running a test scheme for the LNG-fuelled tug boat "Ishin" to be used at the port. During the test phase, LNG fuel is being supplied by Osaka Gas using a truck-to-ship bunkering procedure. The new LNG tug boat will be operated by Nihon and will escort large scale vessels in Osaka Bay the Seto Inland Sea.
There are 20 other diesel powered tugs available of 760-3,500hp capacity.
Charts and publications
JP1110, JP1103, JP1146. Admiralty Pilot NP42B, NP286(6).
Reporting before arrival
updated Aug 2010ETA and pre-arrival notices
See Country information.
Documents
See Country information.
Health
See Country information for radio pratique.
Free pratique: Usually vessels anchor at the quarantine anchorage at Osaka/Sakai-Senboku, where the authorities board and grant free pratique.
Inspections
Port State Control here: Tokyo MOU.
Running now: the Paris and Tokyo MOU concentrated inspection campaign on cargo securing, 1 September to 30 November 2026. Its questions are published: the questionnaire.
ISPS
ISPS Designated Authority: Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Position: Section Chief.
Address: 2-1-3 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8918, Japan.
Tel: +81 3 5253 8070.
Fax: +81 3 5253 8134.
Email: [email protected]
For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org
Port services
updated Feb 2019Repairs
Repairs available at Hitachi Zosen for vessels of up to 400,000DWT capacity.
Bunkers, water and stores
Fresh water: Available from shore and by barge.
Bunkering: Most grades of domestic and bonded oil are available.
Transport
Nearest airport: Osaka International.
Nearest railway: Nankai.
Working hours
From sunrise to sunset.
About Sakai
updated Oct 2020Where it is
Sakai-Semboku is located on the Inland Sea coast of Honshu, approx 14km S of Osaka.
The port
The port offers facilities for general cargo vessels, bulk carriers and tankers. Cargoes handled at the port include timber, LPG, LNG, crude oil and general cargo.
As of 1st December 2007, Osaka, Sakai, Amagasaki-Nishinomiya-Ashiya and Kobe (see separate entries), have all been unified to form Hanshin Port.
Traffic
Approx 78,000,000t of cargo, 30,000TEU and 31,000 vessels handled annually.
Questions about Sakai
What are the pilot arrangements at Sakai?
Compulsory for vessels of 10,000GT or more, and available during day light hours only.
What time zone is Sakai in?
Local time at Sakai is UTC+9. No summer time.
What is the maximum draft at Sakai?
The deepest berth listed is at JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Terminal: 14.50 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
What is the water density at Sakai?
1025.
Which load line zone is Sakai in?
Summer.
Who carries out Port State Control at Sakai?
Port State Control at Sakai: Tokyo MOU.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Sakai?
The UN/LOCODE of Sakai is JPSAK.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Sakai say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.
A planning aid, not for navigation. These facts come from public sources and each section shows how old it is. Check with the port, your agent, your ENCs and official publications. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.