MOL Enhances Safety on Containership Comfort’s Sister Vessels

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), together with shipbuilder, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the classification society (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, ClassNK), said it will continue the thorough investigation to find the cause of the MOL Comfort incident, which occurred on June 17 on the Indian Ocean.

MOL also decided to take extra preventive measures as it may take some time to identify the cause. For the six sister vessels that it operates (MOL Creation, MOL Charisma, MOL Celebration, MOL Courage, MOL Competence, MOL Commitment), MOL has already started the operational precautions to reduce the stress on the hull. These vessels sufficiently fill the safety standard required by ClassNK in compliance to IACS (International Association of Classification Societies: International gathering of class societies to formulate international unified standards, including hull strength), but MOL said it will conduct upgrade works to further strengthen the hull structure at the earliest timing toenhance the strength of the hull twice as much as the safety standard mentioned above.

The vessels will phase-out from the service for the upgrade works and the sailing schedule will be revised accordingly.