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日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Sep 29, 2023 (Fri)

MOL to launch a new ferry company “MOL Sunflower” this October

MOL Sunflower President Ushioku (second from the right, will become president on October 1) and Chairman Omoto (third from the right, will become chairman on October 1)

　MOL held a press conference on September 28, ahead of the launch of Japan’s largest ferry and Coast ・・・続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80MOL+held+a+press+conference+on+September+28%2C+ahead+of+the+launch+of+Japan%E2%80%99s+largest+ferry+and+Coastal+RoRo+Vessel+business+company+%E2%80%9C%3Cb%3EMOL+Sunflower%3C%2Fb%3E%E2%80%9C+on+October+1.+Hirotoshi+Ushioku+%28MOL+Group+Executive+Officer%29%2C+who+will+become+the+president+of+the+company%2C+said%2C+%E2%80%9CThe+company+will+be+the+first+in+the+industry+to+proactively+introduce+ships+powered+by+alternative+fuels%2C+including+LNG+%28liquefied+natural+gas%29%2C%E2%80%9D+in+order+to+realize+a+decarbonized+society.+In+response+to+the+%E2%80%9C2024+problem%E2%80%9D+in+logistics%2C+where+there+is+concern+about+a+shortage+of+truck+drivers%2C+he+said%2C+%E2%80%9CWe+will+expand+our+logistics+services+by+introducing+new+ships+with+increased+transport+capacity+and+reorganizing+our+services.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+will+be+%E2%80%98a+ferry+and+Coastal+RoRo+Vessel+operating+company+that+attracts+attention+from+around+the+world%E2%80%99+in+terms+of+scale%2C+soundness%2C+and+the+happiness+of+executives+and+employees.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Ushioku+talked+about+the+future+vision+of+the+new+company.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%3Cb%3EMOL+Sunflower%3C%2Fb%3E+will+be+launched+on+October+1+through+the+merger+of+%E2%80%9CMOL+Ferry%E2%80%9D%2C+a+ferry+company+wholly+owned+by+MOL%2C+and+%E2%80%9CFerry+Sunflower%E2%80%9D%2C+also+a+company+wholly+owned+by+MOL.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80The+integrated+company+will+have+the+largest+route+network+and+number+of+vessels+in+operation+in+Japan+%286+routes%2C+15+vessels%29%2C+and+will+be+the+top+in+the+industry+in+terms+of+the+number+of+offices+and+sales.+It+will+secure+a+30%25+share+in+the+industry+in+terms+of+transport+volume+for+both+logistics+and+passengers.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Regarding+the+background+to+the+merger%2C+the+company+determined+that+%E2%80%9Ca+decline+in+the+flow+of+people+and+logistics+due+to+the+declining+birthrate+and+aging+population+is+unavoidable+in+the+long+run%2C%E2%80%9D+%28Ushioku%29+while+taking+into+account+short-term+tailwinds+such+as+a+shortage+of+drivers+due+to+the+2024+problem+and+a+recovery+in+travel+demand+after+the+coronavirus+pandemic.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Ushioku+expressed+his+determination%2C+saying%2C+%E2%80%9CIn+order+to+survive+the+fierce+competition%2C+we+will+strengthen+our+management+base+through+the+merger%2C+take+advantage+of+the+MOL+Group%E2%80%99s+economies+of+scale%2C+and+respond+autonomously+to+changes+in+the+business+environment.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+First+LNG+fuel+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+its+efforts+toward+a+decarbonized+society%2C+in+January+and+April+of+this+year%2C+Ferry+Sunflower+launched+two+of+Japan%E2%80%99s+first+LNG-fueled+ferries%2C+%E2%80%9CSunflower+Kurenai%E2%80%9D+and+%E2%80%9CSunflower+Murasaki%E2%80%9D%2C+on+the+Osaka-Beppu+route.+In+2025%2C+two+LNG-fueled+ferries+are+scheduled+to+enter+service+on+the+Tomakomai-Oarai+route.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Furthermore%2C+the+company+plans+to+replace+two+RORO+ships+on+the+Tokyo-Hakata%2FKanda+route+and+two+ferries+on+the+Kobe-Oita+route+with+ships+with+LNG+fuel+specifications+in+the+future+%28timing+to+be+determined%29.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+will+introduce+environmentally+friendly+ships%2C+with+a+view+to+introducing+new+fuels+that+may+replace+LNG+in+the+future.%E2%80%9D+%28Ushioku%29+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+terms+of+organization%2C+Ushioku%2C+an+Executive+Officer+of+the+MOL+Group%2C+will+be+appointed+as+the+head+of+the+integrated+company%2C+with+the+aim+of+%E2%80%9Cstrengthening+and+unifying+sales+capabilities+through+group+strength.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80By+forming+a+parallel+relationship+with+the+sales+department+at+MOL+Head+Office%2C+the+company+aims+to+operate+the+organization+autonomously.+At+the+same+time%2C+it+will+also+be+involved+in+MOL%E2%80%99s+management%2C+achieving+faster+decision-making.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Under+the+logistics+industry%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%9C2024+problem%2C%E2%80%9D+which+regulates+overtime+work+for+truck+drivers%2C+ferry+boarding+time+is%2C+in+principle%2C+considered+%E2%80%9Crest+time.%E2%80%9D+There+are+high+expectations+for+the+Japanese+shipping+industry+to+%E2%80%9Csupport+modal+shift%E2%80%9D+using+ferries+and+RORO+ships.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Naotoshi+Omoto+%28President+of+MOL+Ferry%29%2C+who+will+become+chairman+of+%3Cb%3EMOL+Sunflower%3C%2Fb%3E%2C+said%2C+%E2%80%9CIn+preparation+for+the+%E2%80%982024+problem%E2%80%99%2C+we+have+been+working+for+several+years+to+increase+capacity+by+increasing+the+size+of+new+ships+and+improving+loading+rates.+We+are+ready+to+serve.%E2%80%9D+However%2C+he+also+said+that+the+actual+cargo+volume+has+not+exceeded+expectations+yet+at+this+time.+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDisclaimer%3A+The+English+translations+provided+through+this+service+are+the+result+of+translations+made+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+or+automatically+and+mechanically+translated+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+using+an+automated+translation+system+provided+by+a+third+party+after+certain+processing+of+the+Japanese+content+licensed+by+the+third+party.+In+terms+of+the+English+translation%2C+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+and+MarineNet+Co.%2C+Ltd.+make+no+warranty+or+burden+of+any+kind%2C+express+or+implied%2C+including+its+accuracy%2C+reliability%2C+validity+or+fitness+for+a+particular+purpose.+MarineNet+Users+should+fully+understand+that+this+service+uses+an+automated+translation+system+that+automatically+and+mechanically+recognizes+and+analyzes+information+and+produces+results.+The+users+should+understand+the+above+conditions+before+using+this+service.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E5%85%8D%E8%B2%AC%E4%BA%8B%E9%A0%85%EF%BC%9A%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E4%BB%8B%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%BD%9C%E6%88%90%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B%E3%80%81%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%B1%E8%AB%BE%E3%82%92%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E3%81%9F%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%83%84%E3%82%92%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%B8%80%E5%AE%9A%E3%81%AE%E5%87%A6%E7%90%86%E3%82%92%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8C%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%83%BB%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8A%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%80%81%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E5%BD%93%E8%A9%B2%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%80%81%E3%81%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%AD%A3%E7%A2%BA%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E4%BF%A1%E9%A0%BC%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E5%A6%A5%E5%BD%93%E6%80%A7%E5%8F%8A%E3%81%B3%E7%89%B9%E5%AE%9A%E7%9B%AE%E7%9A%84%E3%81%B8%E3%81%AE%E9%81%A9%E5%90%88%E6%80%A7%E3%82%92%E5%90%AB%E3%82%81%E3%80%81%E6%98%8E%E7%A4%BA%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E9%BB%99%E7%A4%BA%E3%81%AB%E3%82%82%E3%80%81%E3%81%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E4%BF%9D%E8%A8%BC%E3%82%82%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%80%82%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%A6%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B6%E3%83%BC%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%8C%E3%80%81%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A4%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E6%83%85%E5%A0%B1%E3%82%92%E8%AA%8D%E8%AD%98%E3%83%BB%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%82%92%E5%87%BA%E5%8A%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%81%93%E3%81%A8%E3%82%92%E5%8D%81%E5%88%86%E3%81%AB%E7%90%86%E8%A7%A3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%99%E3%80%82%3Cbr%3E