Tag: MOL

116 survivors from the ferry Rabaul Queen Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) announced that the MOL-operated containership MOL Summer rescued 116 survivors from the ferry Rabaul Queen, which sank about 17 km east of Papua New Guinea.According to local reports, the Rabaul Queen with about 350 passengers aboard was under way from the port of Kimbe on New Britain Island to Lae in Papua New Guinea.On the morning of Thursday, February 2, the Rabaul Queen sank near Fischhafen, shortly after transmitting a distress signal, according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).The MOL Summer, under way from Hong Kong to Brisbane, was dispatched by AMSA to serve as on-scene coordinator for the rescue operation, and pulled 116 survivors from the water, transferring them to AMSA at Lae early on Friday (JST).Meanwhile, eight other merchant vessels near the scene helped with rescue activities at the request of AMSA. In all, five vessels, including the MOL Summer, rescued a total of 246 people.MOL hopes the remaining passengers and crew from the Rabaul Queen will be swiftly rescued and brought to safety.Source: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) system Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. has started a demonstration test of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) system installed on the diesel engine used for power generation on an MOL Group-operated ocean-going vessel. This is reported to be the world's first application of the self-cleaning DPF on an ocean-going ship. With research support from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), MOL and Akasaka Diesels Ltd. have jointly developed a DPF system for marine diesel engines, which run on C heavy oil.The initiative is part of ClassNK's program to support joint research and development with industry and academia. MOL conducted a DPF demonstration test in 2010 using the main engine of a ferry serving coastal areas in Japan. MOL is moving ahead with efforts to reduce air pollution as one of the environmental strategies in its midterm management plan GEAR UP! MOL. This technology is part of that, and the company continues to take a proactive stance in adoption of various technologies that reduce the environmental burden of its activities.This system incorporates a filter that relies on silicon carbide ceramic fibers. The filter collects particulate matter (PM) when exhaust gas goes through it. It can collect over 80% of PM ...

Japanese shipping groups K Line and MOL have joined the growing list Japanese shipping groups K Line and MOL have joined the growing list of carriers that sailed into the red in 2011. K Line recorded losses of 42.16 billion yuan (US$542.4 million) in the first nine months of its financial year.The line has revised its forecast for the full year (made at the end of October) from a loss of 32 billion yuan to one of 54 billion yuan. In the nine-month period, revenue fell 3.8%, compared with the same period last year, to 732.88 billion yuan , but its operating result (ebit) before exceptional items crashed from a profit of 62.3 billion yuan to a loss of 31.6 billion yuan.K Line blamed the economic slowdown, increased fuel prices, the high value of the yen and an excess of capacity.In its forecast for the remainder of the financial year, to 31 March, K LIne said: "The container business will remain uncertain for the time being because of the sluggish global economy."Over the first three quarters of its financial year, which also started on 1 April 2011, MOL group revenue fell 9% on the same period in 2010, to 1.07 ...

Reducing Workload and Improving Safety during Bunkering Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) announced that MOL and Musashino Co., Ltd. have jointly developed the world's first portable liquid-level gauge for vessel fuel tanks, which reduces workload needed to measure a ship's fuel level during bunkering and enables more accurate measurement. This will reduce the crew's workload, and help prevent incidents such as fuel spills from overfilling.Even on vessels equipped with fixed liquid-level gauges, crews measure the liquid level manually by hanging sounding tapes into sounding pipes located on the deck, to help prevent overflow and to check bunkering volume during refueling. This operation must be done by a skilled crew, which creates additional burden on the crew as he must measure several tanks simultaneously.With the new liquid-level gauge, the pressure sensor, which is suspended into the fuel tank, senses changes in liquid-level pressure and detects the fuel level in the tank quickly and accurately. In addition, because of the function of wireless transmission, several tanks can be monitored on the ship's computer at the same time. This improves the efficiency of fuel level measuring operations, reduces workload, and helps prevent overflows, thus reducing the risk of fuel spills ...

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) president Koichi Muto warns in his New Year message Tokyo:Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) president Koichi Muto warns of a "prolonged harsh business environment" in his New Year message. Muto said the environment surrounding MOL remained unpredictable and clouded by the oversupply of vessels and slumping business sentiment."Large-scale completion of new vessels is expected to continue this year, so we should prepare ourselves for a prolonged harsh business environment, and approach it with due care," he said. Impact was expected to particularly hard on the container trades with impending delivery of large numbers of ultra-large containerships."After 2013, however, the number of new vessels completed is expected to level off, providing some light at the end of the tunnel," Muto said.

ISHIN-III Technology : series of next-generation large-scale iron ore carriers Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) today announced that it has ordered a new cape-size bulker that will adopt element technologies of the next-generation ISHIN-III vessel program to achieve high fuel efficiency. Universal Shipbuilding Corporation (President: Shinjiro Mishima) will construct the new ship, slated for completion in late 2014.MOL has repeatedly studied various technologies to realize the concept for the ISHIN-III series of next-generation vessels (large-scale iron ore carriers) announced in April 2010.The newbuilding vessel will adopt the following element technologies which are at the core of the ISHIN-III concept. New technologies will boost fuel efficiency of the new ship by more than 20% compared to conventional cape-size vessels, with a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions. Advanced features include:A steam turbine that generates electric power using exhaust heat from the engine.A hybrid power generation system to convert rotational force from the supercharger into electric power.In addition, the electric power gained through the steam turbine and hybrid systems will assist vessel propulsion.MOL continues to take a proactive stance in technological development with the aim of reducing the environmental burden of its ships.Specifications Length: 300.0m Breath: 50.0m Depth: 25.0m Draft: ...

Contributing US$30,000 to typhoon Washi relief efforts on Mindanao Island Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) President Koichi Muto announced that the company has contributed US$30,000 to typhoon Washi relief efforts on Mindanao Island through its group company Magsaysay MOL Marine, Inc. It is also reviewing other relief options as the situation unfolds."We wish to convey our deepest sympathies to all those affected by the typhoon," President Muto said."We received monetary donations from many people in the Philippines including our seafarers and their families after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in March. We sincerely hope for a swift recovery to the area and a quick return to normal life."MOL and the Philippines have a deep relationship, and the company has recruited and educated many of its seafarers at the training center it established there.MOL has contributed to various relief efforts in the Philippines through a range of activities. When a major typhoon "Frank" hit the Philippines in June 2008, MOL responded to a request from the Philippine government and provided ocean transport of aid supplies with the seafarer training ship Spirit of MOL. And when Typhoon "Ondoy" struck in September 2009, the training ship crew members and Magsaysay-MOL employees ...

AN effort to slim down its VLCC fleet Major tanker owner Mitsui OSK Lines is making a concerted effort to slim down its VLCC fleet. Fresh from reports a week ago of MOL scrapping the youngest VLCC to date - a 1995 double hulled giant - US investment bank Dahlman Rose has added that MOL has scrapped another pair of VLCCs.These two, built in 1996 and 1997, are now the youngest VLCCs to ever have been scrapped. Dahlman Rose suggests a total of 20 VLCCs have been sent for demolition this year, around half of which were sent in the final quarter.As MOL comes to terms with the projected lengthy downturn for tanker rates it has also recently formed a VLCC pool in Singapore which counts AP Moller-Maersk among its partners.Source: Seatrade Asia

Recognizing effectiveness of SEEMP in reducing vessel CO2 emissions Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) announced that the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP*1), MOL already has in place was certified with Statement of Compliance by the international classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Effective December 5, the certification verifies the plan including its application for calculating Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI*2) in accordance with SEEMP guidance and EEOI guideline from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).MOL led the world in formulating SEEMP ahead of the IMO's adoption of requirements that SEEMP should be provided on board from January 2013. The company has maintained operation schedules while ensuring safe operation based on that, and continually pursuing and implementing comprehensive Eco Sailing, a key element of its midterm management plan GEAR UP! MOL, while undertaking continual improvement through an ongoing PDCA(*3) cycle.The MOL-formulated SEEMP is an effective way of identifying problems and confirming the effectiveness of improvements by introducing its unique EEOI calculation method in addition to the one guided by the IMO. It also features comprehensive and organic linkage of application of innovative technologies such as the optimum trim(*4) backed by onboard and onshore demonstration tests, selection of ...

Agreement to pool a fleet of around 50 VLCCs Four major shipowners have signed an agreement to pool a fleet of around 50 VLCCs.Mitsui OSK Lines/Phoenix Tankers Pte Ltd, Maersk Tankers, Samco Shipholding and Ocean Tankers, Singapore, have signed a letter of intent to pool roughly 50 VLCCs with an average age of three years.The pool, which could control around 10% of the world fleet is expected to start operations on 1 February next year with offices in Singapore, Copenhagen and New York."The flexibility of a large, young and reliable fleet ensures that the VLCC Pool can, at all times, offer relevant vessels of the highest standard to cater for our customers' need for safe and environmentally friendly marine transportation," the companies said in a statementSource: Seatrade Asia