日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Jul 23, 2024 (Tue)

‌【Interview】Mr. Uragami, president of Mitsubishi Ore Transport, on the strategy with high-quality vessel

Mitsubishi Ore Transport President Koichi Uragami

　Mitsubishi Ore Transport (headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) is a shipowner business company of the N ・・・ 続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80Mitsubishi+Ore+Transport+%28headquarters%3A+Chiyoda-ku%2C+Tokyo%29+is+a+shipowner+business+company+of+the+NYK+Group.+It+leverages+its+high-quality+ship+management+to+expand+its+chartering+business+with+major+charterers+both+in+Japan+and+overseas.+We+spoke+to+President+Koichi+Uragami%2C+who+assumed+the+position+on+June+27%2C+about+the+company%E2%80%99s+path+to+growth.+%28Interviewer%3A+Azumi+Kashiwai%29+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+your+aspirations+as+president%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CMitsubishi+Ore+Transport+is+celebrating+its+65th+anniversary+this+year+since+its+founding+in+1959.+The+company+is+two+years+older+than+me%2C+but+it+is+a+very+dynamic+company.+The+fact+that+we+have+weathered+a+rapidly+changing+market+for+over+half+a+century+is+proof+that+we+have+the+value+and+strength+that+are+recognized+by+our+customers+and+partners.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CI+have+had+contact+with+Mitsubishi+Ore+Transport+on+various+projects+since+my+early+days+at+NYK.+Even+back+then%2C+I+have+always+had+the+impression+that+it+was+a+%E2%80%9Chigh-quality+company.%E2%80%9D+First+of+all%2C+I+want+to+firmly+maintain+this+high+level+of+quality+and+further+improve+it.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Both+shipowner+and+operator+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+the+characteristics+of+Mitsubishi+Ore+Transport%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CI+think+we%E2%80%99re+a+company+in+a+very+unique+position.+If+we+were+to+divide+shipping+companies+broadly+into+two+groups%2C+there+are+shipowner+companies%2C+represented+by+Setouchi+shipowners%2C+and+operators+%28shipping+companies%29%2C+including+Japanese+big+carriers.+In+the+past%2C+there+were+many+companies+where+shipowners+and+operators+were+completely+integrated%2C+but+in+recent+years%2C+this+is+becoming+increasingly+rare.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+this+situation%2C+as+a+shipowner%2C+we+allow+charterers+to+use+the+ships+we+own+and+manage.+We+also+enter+into+charter+contracts+directly+with+shippers%2C+including+steel+manufacturers+and+major+resource+companies.+In+other+words%2C+while+our+company+is+a+ship+owner%2C+it+is+also+cargo-orientated%2C+so+it+has+an+aspect+similar+to+that+of+an+operator.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+terms+of+our+customers%2C+we+have+been+doing+business+with+first-class+charterers+for+many+years%2C+including+major+steel+companies+and+NYK+in+Japan%2C+and+Australian-British+resource+giant+Rio+Tinto+and+France%E2%80%99s+Louis+Dreyfus+Company+overseas.+Continuing+to+meet+the+stringent+requirements+of+these+top+charterers+is+testament+to+the+excellent+quality+of+our+ship+management.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+do+you+build+high+quality+ship+management%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+are+100%25+self-managed.+We+have+23+Japanese+maritime+engineers%2C+a+strong+team+for+a+company+of+our+size.+Filipino+crew+members+are+also+provided+by+%E2%80%98MOT-BARKO+MANILA%E2%80%99%2C+a+manning+company+jointly+established+with+a+Philippine+company.+Most+of+the+Filipino+crew+members+are+repeaters%2C+so+we+know+both+their+faces+and+names+just+like+we+know+our+own+crew+members.+We+have+been+managing+them+like+that.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+have+created+a+sea-shore+system+that+these+Filipino+and+Japanese+crew+members+work+ashore+in+our+Tokyo+office+and+then+return+to+their+ships%2C+allowing+us+to+accumulate+know-how+on+ship+maintenance+and+operation+management.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+April+of+last+year%2C+a+PCTC+and+a+Capesize+bulker+owned+and+managed+by+our+company+were+certified+by+the+Green+Award+Foundation+of+the+Netherlands+in+recognition+of+their+high+quality+safety+management.+This+is+a+strict+certification+system+that+is+mainly+for+tankers.+This+is+the+first+time+in+the+world+that+a+PCTC+has+obtained+this+certification%2C+and+the+first+time+in+Japan+for+a+bulker.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Market+risk+management+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+is+your+current+fleet%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+own+and+manage+14+vessels.+One+Capesize+vessel%2C+three+PCTCs+and+one+chip+carrier+are+on+long-term+charter%2C+while+the+remaining+nine+Panamax+bulkers+are+on+short-term+and+medium-term+charter.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+the+issues+that+need+to+be+addressed%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CAs+charter+contracts+become+shorter%2C+shipowners+have+long+been+unable+to+avoid+the+effects+of+market+fluctuations.+Our+company+is+also+exposed+to+fluctuations+to+a+certain+extent+due+to+short-term+chartering+of+Panamax+vessels.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+challenge+is+how+to+manage+this+market+exposure%2C+and+we+must+carefully+assess+our+own+company%E2%80%99s+financial+strength+before+making+a+decision.+The+role+we+will+play+within+the+NYK+Group+will+be+key+to+our+future+direction%2C+and+we+will+be+firmly+aligned+with+NYK.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+is+the+direction+of+exposure+management%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CCompetition+in+the+market+tends+to+be+a+simple+price+competition+rather+than+a+quality+competition.+On+the+other+hand%2C+there+is+also+a+growing+trend+to+emphasize+quality+and+need+to+emphasize+environmental+friendliness.+As+shipowners+become+more+selective%2C+if+we+can+become+a+shipowner+of+choice%2C+we+may+have+opportunities+to+secure+medium-+to+long-term+contracts.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+other+words%2C+we+can+demonstrate+our+strengths+in+areas+with+high+barriers+to+entry.+As+a+specific+example%2C+ship+management+for+LNG+%28liquefied+natural+gas%29+dual-fuel+ships+or+ships+that+require+the+latest+energy-saving+technology+is+still+not+an+area+that+many+ship+owners+can+get+involved+in.+We+have+already+established+a+system+capable+of+managing+LNG+dual-fuel+ships+and+are+at+the+ready-to-go+stage.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Take+time+to+make+a+decision+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+your+fleet+development+plans%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CSince+our+company+specializes+in+in-house+management+and+has+a+robust+crew+structure%2C+we+need+a+certain+fleet+size.+Fewer+ships+would+reduce+our+exposure%2C+but+it+would+be+more+difficult+for+us+as+a+shipowner+to+maintain+our+ship+management+system.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CFor+this+reason%2C+it+is+essential+that+we+must+be+prepared+at+some+stage.+I+want+to+take+my+time+and+carefully+assess+the+opportunities+without+rushing.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CAt+the+same+time%2C+since+we+became+a+wholly+owned+subsidiary+of+NYK+in+April+last+year%2C+I+believe+that+we+have+more+opportunities+to+aim+for+the+next+stage+while+cooperating+with+our+parent+company+to+enhance+our+company%E2%80%99s+characteristics.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Koichi+Uragami+graduated+from+Faculty+of+Law%2C+Keio+University+in+1984+and+joined+NYK.+In+2013%2C+he+became+head+of+the+Steel+Raw+Materials+Group.+In+2016%2C+he+became+Corporate+Officer.+In+2018%2C+he+became+Managing+Corporate+Officer+%28renamed+Managing+Executive+Officer+in+2020%29.+In+2021%2C+he+became+Senior+Managing+Director+of+Nippon+Cargo+Airlines.+In+June+2024%2C+he+took+up+his+current+position.+63+years+old.+His+hobby+is+calligraphy.+Born+in+Fukuoka+Prefecture.+%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%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【インタビュー　新トップの舵取り】三菱鉱石輸送社長・浦上宏一氏、新燃料船で高品質 発揮

2024/07/23(火)

日本海事新聞 JMD

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