Mol Group News

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and its subsidiary Ferry Sunflower Limited have unveiled plans to construct Japan’s first two LNG-fueled ferries.Mitsubishi Shipbuilding will receive the order for the newbuild ferries that are designated to serve the Japanese market.Ferry Sunflower will charter the ferries after delivery and launch them on its Osaka-Beppu route from the end of 2022 through the first half of 2023, as replacements for vessels currently in service.The…

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has taken part in the first bunkering of liquefied natural gas (LNG) into a tugboat at the Port of Kobe, Japan.At the Port of Kobe, the tugboat “Ishin” was bunkered with LNG. It is the first LNG-fuelled tugboat in Japan and it is operated by a MOL group subsidiary, Nihon Tug-Boat.LNG fuel for the trial was hauled by a tanker truck from the Himeji LNG Plant of Osaka Gas, and, via a truck-to-ship system, was used to supply Ishin, berthed at Kobe Port’s Shinko Pier No.4. MOL Marine Co.

Japanese logistics major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that it marked the Marine Day holiday on Monday, July 15, by hosting a tour of the car carrier Emerald Ace at Harumi Pier, in cooperation with the Japanese Shipowners' Association (JSA), as a part of "The Umi-to-Nippon (The Ocean and Japan) Project".MOL welcomed about 600 elementary and junior high school students and their family members, which was twice as much as the event last year, who were selected in an online application process.The guests boarded the huge vessel-measuring about 200m long…

Japanese shipping major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) celebrated a major milestone-25 years since the launch of MOL business operations in Indonesia.The carriers of containerized and other cargo said in a press note that it has hosted a party in Jakarta for about 200 attendees, including customers to celebrate 25th anniversary. Among those on hand for the party were Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Masafumi Ishii, and representatives of MOL's business partners.MOL President & CEO Ikeda addressed the gathering…

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that the Beluga Ace, the first ship of its "FLEXIE series" next-generation car carriers, and both the Sunflower Satsuma and Sunflower Kirishima ferries, which are operated by its group company, Ferry Sunflower Limited, have received the "Ship of the Year 2018," and "Large Passenger Ship Sector Award," respectively.It marks double awarding for the group companies, said a press note."This is MOL's sixth Ship of the Year Award…

Hungarian international oil and gas company MOL Group delivered an EBITDA of USD 1.15bn in H1 2019, exactly half of the full-year 2019 guidance.Upstream EBITDA was 10% lower in H1 2019 at USD 553mn, as higher volumes were more than offset by lower oil and gas prices. The segment remained the largest free cash flow generator of the Group. Average daily hydrocarbon production was 111.8 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) higher by 2% year-on-year.Downstream Clean net income EBITDA amounted to USD 403mln in H1 2019, 18% lower year-on-year.

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that its group company MOL Techno-Trade held a ceremony to mark its participation in the "Green Award Program", aimed at promoting "Quality Shipping" on a global scale.The program is run by the nonprofit Green Award Foundation (Head Office: Rotterdam, the Netherlands), which was established with the objectives of protecting the marine environment and enhancing the safety of vessel operation.At the ceremony, President…

Japanese transport company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) announced that its group company Mitsui O.S.K. Passenger Line, Ltd. (MOPAS) has scheduled a major renovation of its operated cruise ship, the Nippon Maru.According to a press release from MOL Group, the project will take about 50 days from mid-February through early April 2020.The Nippon Maru was renovated in 2010 when the ship marked its 20th anniversary. Additional cabins were constructed on the sixth floor, while the new Horizon Lounge and Spa & Salon were added.

Japanese transport company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) held a "MOL Safety Conference 2019" for seafarers of the MOL group from February to end of May at 5 locations worldwide, which almost 800 seafarers have attended.The locations were Tokyo (Japan), Mumbai (India), Manila (Philippines), Dubrovnik (Croatia) and  Vladivostok (Russia).MOL Chairman Koichi Muto and President & CEO Junichiro Ikeda along with many other MOL executives and staff members participated in the conference to…

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) formulated MOL Group Environmental Vision 2030 to present our cutting-edge initiatives for environmental preservation."Shpping companies are responsible for undertaking the marine transportation vital to the infrastructure underpinning people's daily lives worldwide," it said.MOL established a policy to equip its vessels with ballast water treatment systems in fiscal year 2014, ahead of the issuance of the Ballast Water Management Convention in September 2017.As of April 2019…

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced its plan to issue “Sustainability Bonds” for the financing of a series of green projects.This is the first time a company in Japan has issued sustainability bonds aimed at individual investors.Sustainability bonds are used to both finance and refinance green projects, which protect and improve the environment, and social projects, which help address social issues.In the management plan "Rolling Plan 2019," MOL's goals include "develop environment and emission-free businesses into core businesses…

Japanese ocean transport company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)  announced that its annual safety campaign will begin on July 15, targeting all MOL Group-operated and owned vessels."Safety is the topmost priority in all MOL business activities. The company views safe operation as a key social obligation, and is committed to forging ahead to become the world leader in safe operation," said a press release from the Tokyo-based carrier of containerized and other cargo.As part of these efforts…

Japanese ocean transport company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) named the newbuilding LNG carrier Sohshu Maru ordered by Trans Pacific Shipping 8, a joint venture between MOL and JERA Co., Inc., the world's biggest LNG buyer.The naming ceremony was held at the Sakaide Works of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kobe city, Hyogo.Among those on hand for the event were JERA Chairman Toshihiro Sano, who named the vessel the Sohshu Maru, after which his wife, Mrs. Eiko Sano cut the rope.Sohshu Maru is equipped with DFDE (Dual Fuel Diesel Electric) propulsion system(Note2).

Japanese shipping major MOL Group announced the completion of a demonstration test (from December 2018 to February 2019) using the TUMST training ship Shioji Maru for their proposed joint demonstration project related to the safety of vessels' auto berthing and un-berthing.The project, jointly run by Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding (MES-S), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMST) and Akishima Laboratories (Mitsui Zosen) Inc, was selected for Japan's Ministry of Land…

Japanese shipping giant has urged graduates to apply for the latest edition of its award-winning talent acquisition program, Growww.The Growww 2019 offers fresh graduates a unique opportunity to kick-start their career in one of the largest corporations in Central Eastern Europe, said a press note from the global transport company.Through the program MOL aims to develop a new generation of industry experts, offering them an opportunity to learn and solve real-life business challenges…

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that its group company MOL Techno-Trade has joined a Green Award Program aimed at promoting high-quality shipping.The program is run by the nonprofit Green Award Foundation, which was established with the objectives of protecting the marine environment and enhancing safe operation.The program aims to improve the quality of vessels and mariners and protect the marine environment by certifying vessels for excellence in safety and low environmental impact.

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) that its LNG-fueled tugboat 'Ishin' bunkered LNG fuel in Sakai Senboku Port for the first time, in preparation for test operation.MOL ordered the vessel from Kanagawa Dockyard. This is the first bunkering of LNG as a vessel fuel at any port in the Kansai region.The LNG fuel was supplied by Osaka Gas using a truck-to-ship LNG bunkering procedure. The truck-to-ship LNG bunkering procedure supplies LNG fuel from an LNG truck on shore.After test sailing with LNG fuel…

High-tech deep-drilling company GA Drilling signed a EUR 4.2 million funding agreement with Lead Ventures and a service agreement with MOL Group.Lead Ventures, a Budapest based venture capital firm invested funds provided by MOL Group, and Hungarian Eximbank.The deal gives GA Drilling access to onshore production wells to test its disruptive PLASMABIT plug & abandonment technology in real field conditions.The agreement is a major step in enabling the commercialization of the PLASMABIT technology…

Japanese logistics giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and French multinational integrated oil and gas company Total S.A. signed an agreement which will make travelling across Europe easier for their corporate customers.The agreement provides for acceptance of MOL Group Cards by Total in its network of stations in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Germany. At the same time, the Total fuel cards will be accepted in the MOL’s and Slovnaft’s network of stations in Hungary…

Beluga Ace: New Design Car Carrier with Six Liftable DecksBeluga Ace, the first vessel of next-generation FLEXIE series car carrier built by the Minaminippon Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., was delivered to Japanese shipowner Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) in March 2018. The space onboard was rearchitected using the design concept. The six liftable decks, compared with two on conventional car carriers, allow loading of vehicles with different heights. As a result, loading efficiency was improved by 6.25% from the conventional type of car carrier…

Japanese shipping major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that, in partnership with MOL Coastal Shipping, and MOL Information Systems, it will start a demonstration test of a mooring rope with a built-in sensor, along with a rope status monitoring system.The project focuses on the mooring ropes that connect vessels to piers and other port facilities, said a press release from the  international shipping company based in Tokyo, Japan.In general, the tension on mooring ropes is hardly determined in accurate, except at certain ports equipped with tension monitors.

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced its intention to install a navigation system using augmented reality (AR) technology jointly developed by Furuno Electric and MOL Techno-Trade on 21 MOL Group-operated very large crude oil carriers (VLCCs).The system displays information on other vessels sailing on a vessel's planned route and surrounding sea areas and other ocean conditions, such as shallow waters, on tablets and screens. It integrates information from…

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)  announced that the "Ballast Catch" = Viable Organism Sampler will begin marketing on May 15.The device, jointly developed by MOL Group company MOL Engineering and Satake Corporation, saves workload in preparing samples of ballast water prior to testing for the presence of marine organisms. Another MOL Group company, MOL Techno-Trade will handle sales of "Ballast Catch".Satake  developed the "Ballast Eye" =Viable Organism Analyzer…