Container Shipping Line Attacks the Three Big Targets as New Service Launched

JAPAN – WORLDWIDE – Safety, care for the environment and performance are often in competition within industry with efforts to promote the former two often seen as inhibiting the latter. For any major liner shipping company today performance is everything but Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL)which runs over eight hundred and sixty vessels ranging from bulk freighters and container ships to ferries and employs over 9,000 staff to do so, safety is still a watchword and, like every other company, it is keen to show its green credentials.

This week MOL announced the launch of a plan to regularly publish the results of several key performance indicators (KPI) for its Containership service globally in the following categories: Operations, Environmental, and Safety. MOL has established a set of goals for each of these KPI in an effort to offer industry-leading transparency to customers and to showcase the company’s strength as a carrier within the box sector.

MOL intends to publish evidence of its performance in each of the three spheres utilising a newly launched, dedicated and website which even allows customers to comment on their own experiences. The site, viewable HERE is currently Global but MOL is planning to launch Regional KPI that are more specific for and focused on the services required in each region.

As far as safety is concerned MOL recently completed another round of their annual Safety Conference which travels to the countries of the company’s main seafarer source nations with the main objectives of explaining safety initiatives and exchanging opinions with seafarers who serve aboard MOL Group vessels all over the world about ways to enhance safe operation.

About 210 seafarers who were on leave took part in the conference on 13th February in Manila, about 100 participated on 23rd February in Mumbai, about 130 attended the event on 28th February in Dubrovnik, and about 70 were on hand for the 7th March session in Tokyo. Senior Managing Executive Officer Soichi Hiratsuka (also Director-General of the Safety Operations Headquarters) and other MOL executives participated in the conferences, and actively exchanged opinions with seafarers through presentations, group discussions, and so on, focusing on the main theme, “eradication of accidents resulting in injury or death,” and strengthening their resolve to ensure the safety of vessel operations.

In addition to the conference, on the 6th March, about 60 Japanese seafarers and office staff including Executive Officer Masaaki Nemoto took part in a “Hazard experience” training session that replicated various potential risks in onboard operations, and reaffirmed their commitment to accident-free operation as MOL bids to become the world leader in safe operation in the field.

In other MOL news the group will commence operations on the 17th March on its new route “SYX” linking Singapore and Yangon. MOL will offer a twice a week joint service with RCL. The service is operated by 3 vessels with a 10.5 day turnaround and MOL will provide one ship MV MOL Acclaim. Yangon, a major market in Myanmar, is positioned for future growth.

The SYX route will draw on MOL’s own network to offer a wide variety of both inbound and outbound services to meet rising demand in this region. Port rotation is: Singapore, Yangon, Singapore with the initial sailing on the MV Ora Bhum calling at Singapore on 17th March.