Mol Group News

Sofar Ocean has launched Wayfinder Voyage Simulator, a voyage planning tool that lets operators, commercial teams and chartering desks generate and compare unlimited voyage scenarios in seconds, aiming to improve fleet efficiency and profitability.Part of Sofar’s Wayfinder platform, the simulator incorporates the company’s marine weather forecasts, informed by what Sofar says is the largest private real-time ocean sensor network and ‘outperform traditional models by up to 50%’…

A cargo transfer vessel owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) will be shared by TotalEnergies EP Brasil, which employs the vessel in its operation since 2020, with Shell Brasil Petróleo for crude oil cargos produced in Brazil.The vessel SeaLoader 1, owned by MOL’s subsidiary SeaLoading Holding, is employed by TotalEnergies for transferring crude oil produced by floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units located in the Santos Basin off the coast of Brazil to tankers.The…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has held a naming ceremony for the newbuilding very large crude carrier (VLCC) Energia Viking for Equinor, at the Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering shipyard in China.The Energia Viking is the first LNG dual-fuel VLCC delivered by the MOL Group and sailing under a charter contract with Equinor.The vessel is equipped with an LNG fuel tank with a capacity exceeding 10,000m3, enabling long-distance transportation and allowing for flexible transport plans.In addition…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines is moving toward commercializing an offshore rocket launch and recovery vessel through a partnership agreement with Innovative Space Carrier (ISC) and Tsuneishi Solutions TokyoBay Co. (formerly company name: Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding Co., Ltd).This project originated from the MOL Group's new business proposal program, the 'MOL Incubation Bridge', designed to encourage employees to foster ideas for new businesses. The company has initiated a full-scale exploration…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) have acquired Approval in Principle (AiP) from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) for its jointly developed liquefied CO2 (LCO2) / methanol carrier. AiP acquisition for this type of carrier marks a world's first.Technologies for converting CO2 into fuel or chemical products are attracting attention as a means of utilizing CO2 in CCUS (Carbon dioxide Capture, Utilization and Storage).

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines have acquired Approval in Principle (AiP) from CLassNK for the design of their jointly developed liquefied CO2 (LCO2) and methanol carrier, a world first for this type of vessel.The vessel is based on a low-pressure LCO2 carrier. It aims to transport CO2, which serves as raw material, on outward voyages and synthetic methanol on return voyages.If dual transport of CO2 and methanol is achieved, empty-cargo trips can be eliminated…

Hungarian oil and gas group MOL and state-owned energy company MVM will jointly charter tankers to ship up to 160,000 metric tons of crude oil a year from Azerbaijan to further diversify energy supply for Hungary and Slovakia, MOL said on Thursday.The companies will both transport crude oil to the Ceyhan terminal in Turkey via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, from where it will be distributed to MOL Group’s markets, with a particular focus on Hungary and Slovakia, the statement said.Through this cooperation, MOL could increase the volume of alternative crude oil processed in its refiner

MOL Energia, a subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), has signed long-term charter contracts with SCG Chemicals, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Siam Cement Group (SCG), for two very large ethane carriers (VLECs), to be built in South Korea.The charter for two more VLECs comes in addition to three vessels already contracted by SCG Chemicals in January 2025.Of the approximately 90 dedicated liquefied ethane carriers currently in service or on order worldwide, this deal will…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has acquired 100% of the membership rights of LBC Tank Terminals Group Holding Netherlands Coöperatief (LBC), one of the world’s largest independent tank terminal operators primarily handling and storing chemicals in Europe and the United States.With the acquisition, MOL aims to strengthen its chemical logistics business.The sale and purchase agreement was signed on March 7, 2025, with the acquisition price expected to be approximately $1.7 billion.The…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), MOL Drybulk, Furukawa Electric, and Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, have tested the InfraLaser system on the outer hull of an actual vessel, successfully stripping down rust and coatings with industrial laser technology.Furukawa Electric, with the cooperation of MOL and MOL Drybulk, has been developing a rust and coating removal system for onboard maintenance since 2021, utilizing the surface treatment solution InfraLaser based on technology cultivated in industrial lasers.Since 2022…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a long-term charter contract for three newbuilding very large ethane carriers (VLECs) with SCG Chemicals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Thailand's Siam Cement Group (SCG).The 100,000 m3 VLECs, spanning 230 meters in lengths and with breadths of 36.6 meters, will be built at Samsung Heavy Industries, and are scheduled for delivery in 2027.The vessels will be equipped with dual-fuel ethane propulsion engines, which will reduce greenhouse gas, sulfur oxide…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has completed the acquisition of 72% shares in Gearbulk, growing its fleet of dry bulk carriers to 338 vessels.The completion of acquisition means Gearbulk is now MOL’s consolidated subsidiary.Gearbulk has a proven track record of growth through the transport of semi-finished products such as pulp. MOL has had a 34-year partnership with Gearbulk since its equity participation in 1991.With the consolidation, the MOL Group's fleet of dry bulk carriers will total 338 vessels…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has launched the Mitsui Ocean Fuji cruise ship, owned by MOL Group company MOL Cruises.The 32,477-ton Mitsui Ocean Fuji, the first cruise ship in Japan with all suite cabins, will offer a total of five debut cruise packages and one New Year's cruise through January 2025.In addition to cruises to and from Yokohama, it also offers cruises to andfrom Kobe and Nagoya, and cruise to and from Beppu, Shimonoseki, Shingu, Kochi, Nagoya, Sakaide, Kobe, Matsuyama…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has held the naming and launching ceremony for the LNG-fueled ferry Sunflower Pirka, under construction at Naikai Zosen Corporation.The LNG-fueled tugboat Ishin, operated by MOL Group company Nihon Tug-Boat, assisted with towing operations during the launch of the ferry.MOL will proactively adopt LNG, a low-carbon fuel that can be put to practical use immediately, and lead the world toward the realization of a low-carbon/decarbonized society.The ferry was given the name Sunflower Pirka…

MOL PLUS intends to invest in deep tech through the “Global Fund 2” managed by UntroD Capital Asia.Deep tech is technology solutions based on substantial scientific or engineering challenges.Global Fund 2 aims to solve social issues by investing in deep tech startups, mainly in the seed stage through Series B. The investment area will focus on startups based in Southeast Asia, but will also cover startups outside the region with high growth potential in Southeast Asia.MOL PLUS will strengthen its investment and collaboration with startups in deep tech x shipping…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has decided to introduce the dynamic voyage optimization platform Wayfinder, developed by Sofar Ocean, to its operating vessels, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by improving fuel efficiency.Wayfinder provides the optimal speed and route for safe and efficient navigation to each ship daily.These recommendations leverage real-time weather forecasts based on information from Sofar's global network of ocean sensors, the ship's fuel efficiency calculated using a data-driven model…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has completed the construction of bulk carrier Green Winds, equipped with the Wind Challenger hard sail wind power propulsion system.The construction of the 63,896 DWT Ultramax bulk carrier was completed at Oshima Shipbuilding.MOL Group’s company MOL Drybulk will operate this new vessel.This is the second of a total of nine MOL Group vessels that have been or will be equipped with the Wind Challenger and the world's first crane vessel featuring that propulsion…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and its company MOL Drybulk have announced plans to install wind propulsion systems, including Wind Challenger, on a total of seven newbuilding bulk carriers and multi-purpose vessels.The vessels will be operated by MOL Drybulk. With the latest commitment, MOL Group will have a total of nine Wind Challenger-equipped vessels, bringing the total number of vessels equipped with wind propulsion systems to 11.Among the seven vessels to be equipped with wind propulsion systems…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a long-term time charter party agreement for one floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) with the Polish gas transmission system operator Gaz-System, which is the developer and operator behind the future LNG terminal.The FSRU will be constructed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard and is expected to be completed in 2027. Thereafter, the FSRU will be managed by the MOL group.The FSRU is being built for the project that involves the…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Rio Tinto have signed the partnership agreement to enhance collaboration on both safety and crew welfare initiative and decarbonization of maritime transportation.MOL and Rio Tinto have agreed to further collaborate on shipping decarbonization in addition to the existing commitment to the DOO program through a deal signed on January 24, 2024.The DOO program is a Rio Tinto initiative aimed at enhancing safety and improving crew welfare in the…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has been awarded an approval in principle (AiP) by ClassNK for a design of Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) for ammonia.The ammonia FSRU has been jointly developed by MOL and MHI Group’s Mitsubishi Shipbuilding.Obtains AiP for Ammonia FSRU Design - A Step Toward Safe Utilization of Ammonia for DecarbonizingThe AiP gives MOL further assurances in its design and development of ammonia FSRU, the technology, which enables a large scale of storage and distribution of seaborn ammonia.Introducing the ammonia FSRU concept…

Japanese shipping major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has decided to expand its fleet with the additional five newbuilding dual-fueled Capesize bulkers, which can burn either LNG or conventional marine fuel oil.Two of the vessels will be ordered to Nihon Shipyard and built by Imabari Shipbuilding, while there remaining three will be built by Chinese CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding.The vessels are slated for delivery from 2026 to 2027, according to MOL. Including these five vessels, MOL will add a total of 13 LNG-fueled Capesize bulkers in their fleet.

Japanese companies Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and MOL Marine & Engineering Co. (MOLMEC) said Wednesday they would launch a training program using the Dynamic Positioning (DP) System simulator, targeting crewmembers of self-elevating platform (SEP) vessels and service operation vessels (SOVs), which will support offshore wind power generation projects. The two firms aim to complete the program and open the course at the MOL DP Training Center by the end of 2023.MOL said the training program would be open to a wide range of applicants from Japan and overseas…