日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily May 30, 2025 (Fri)

‌【Interview】MOL President Hashimoto shares near-future business vision

MOL President Takeshi Hashimoto

　■ Resetting the existing order 　--What impact does the US tariff policy have on your business? 　“It ・・・ 続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Resetting+the+existing+order+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+impact+does+the+US+tariff+policy+have+on+your+business%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIt+seems+to+me+that+US+President+Trump+is+resetting+the+current+order%2C+intentionally+creating+a+state+of+chaos%2C+and+then+trying+to+reconstruct+rules+that+are+convenient+for+his+country.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThis+is+a+highly+gamble-like+way+of+doing+things%2C+but+since+Europe+and+China+are+responding+rationally%2C+I+think+things+will+settle+where+they+are+meant+to+be.+However%2C+one+mistake+can+have+catastrophic+consequences.+The+possibility+of+negative+effects+on+the+global+economy+cannot+be+ruled+out.+We+are+continuing+to+gather+and+analyze+information.+We+are+closely+monitoring+the+situation+and+remain+vigilant.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--Container+shipping+freight+rates+are+expected+to+rise+following+the+agreement+reached+in+the+U.S.-China+trade+talks+to+reduce+additional+tariffs.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CAfter+the+agreement+was+reached%2C+it+seems+that+bookings+have+been+piling+up+all+at+once+at+the+sales+front.+In+response+to+changes+in+transportation+demand%2C+it+is+necessary+to+respond+quickly%2C+such+as+by+reducing+or+increasing+the+number+of+services.+In+the+shipping+industry%2C+the+ability+to+exert+a+kind+of+superhuman+strength+in+an+emergency+can+often+make+a+big+difference+in+the+outcome.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+LNG+and+Chemicals+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--The+investment+plan+for+Phase+1+%28FY+2023-FY+2025%29+of+the+group+management+plan+%E2%80%9CBLUE+ACTION+2035%E2%80%9C+has+been+revised+upward+from+the+initial+1.2+trillion+yen+to+1.88+trillion+yen.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99m+pleased+that+progress+is+being+made+at+a+pace+that+far+exceeds+our+plans%2C+but+FY+2025+will+be+a+year+for+tidying+up.+Rather+than+expanding+the+business+in+all+directions%2C+we+set+priorities+and+do+what+needs+to+be+done.+Not+all+new+businesses+we+invested+in+over+the+past+few+years+will+be+successful.+We+will+also+consider+streamlining+and+downsizing%2C+while+also+considering+the+efficient+allocation+of+funds+and+human+resources.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+terms+of+future+investments%2C+our+immediate+focus+is+on+LNG+%28liquefied+natural+gas%29+and+chemical+logistics.+I+think+it%E2%80%99s+okay+to+step+on+the+accelerator+quite+a+bit.+Investments+for+the+future+such+as+new+fuels+and+offshore+wind+power+generation+will+come+into+play+in+the+future.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+addition+to+developing+new+businesses%2C+it+is+also+important+to+assign+more+suitable+personnel+to+projects+that+we+decide+to+participate+in+and+to+the+integration+work+of+companies+that+we+acquire%2C+and+develop+these+businesses+into+profitable+businesses+as+soon+as+possible.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--The+company+also+indicated+a+policy+of+emphasizing+financial+discipline+this+fiscal+year.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+will+carefully+analyze+the+cash-earning+potential+of+each+business+and+asset%2C+and+invest+in+businesses+that+can+generate+cash.+Businesses+whose+earning+power+has+peaked+will+be+given+some+kind+of+boost.+Increasing+profitability+through+mergers+and+exchanges+of+businesses+with+other+companies+is+also+an+option.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThere+is+a+limit+to+how+much+money+can+be+invested.+If+you+are+making+new+investments%2C+you+should+also+consider+reviewing+your+existing+business+and+replacing+your+assets.+I+want+executives+in+general+managerial+positions+to+have+a+managerial+perspective+and+strengthen+this+way+of+thinking.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Net+profit+to+200+billion+yen+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--The+company%E2%80%99s+full-year+pre-tax+net+profit+forecast+for+this+period+is+200+billion+yen%2C+falling+short+of+the+240-billion-yen+target+for+the+final+fiscal+year+of+Phase+1.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CA+large+number+of+new+container+ships+and+PCTCs+were+supplied+last+year%2C+and+this+year+too.+It+will+be+difficult+to+achieve+the+FY+2024+profit+level.+However%2C+if+it+weren%E2%80%99t+for+the+impact+of+the+tariff+issue%2C+I+think+we+would+have+reached+our+target.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+would+like+to+quickly+establish+a+system+that+can+reliably+secure+profits+of+around+100+billion+yen%2C+combining+stable+earnings+from+long-term+contracts+for+energy+transport+ships+and+profits+from+businesses+that+are+expected+to+generate+cash+flows+at+the+beginning+of+the+fiscal+year%2C+such+as+marine+businesses%2C+offshore+wind+power%2C+and+real+estate.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThis+would+allow+us+to+continue+paying+dividends+even+in+adverse+market+conditions.+On+top+of+that%2C+by+accumulating+profits+from+market-benefit+businesses+such+as+container+ships%2C+PCTCs%2C+and+some+tankers+and+bulkers%2C+I+would+like+to+ensure+that+our+company+reliably+earns+an+average+net+profit+of+around+200+billion+yen%2C+based+on+the+current+size+of+its+assets.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--The+acquisition+of+a+Dutch+company+engaged+in+tank+terminal+business+for+liquid+chemicals+is+the+largest+merger+and+acquisition+in+the+company%E2%80%99s+history.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9COur+group%E2%80%99s+chemical+logistics+and+LNG-related+businesses+have+grown+considerably+in+scale%2C+and+our+understanding+of+the+industry+has+deepened.+The+network+is+also+becoming+wider+and+deeper.+I+want+to+make+the+most+of+these+strengths.+I+believe+that+strengthening+businesses+that+have+a+competitive+advantage+over+other+companies+is+the+best+way+to+increase+profits.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Dividend+payout+ratio+of+50%25+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--The+company+decided+not+to+further+expand+shareholder+returns.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+light+of+the+current+unstable+global+situation%2C+we+have+maintained+the+dividend+payout+ratio+of+30%25%2C+which+is+the+basic+policy+for+Phase+1+of+%E2%80%99BLUE+ACTION+2035%E2%80%99.+Personally%2C+I+think+the+top+priority+is+growth+investment.+Thanks+to+the+company%E2%80%99s+strong+performance+over+the+past+few+years%2C+its+equity+capital+has+increased+significantly%2C+so+it+is+only+natural+that+the+company+would+increase+its+dividend+payout+ratio+from+20%25+to+30%25%2C+and+then+from+30%25+to+40%25.+I+would+like+to+get+to+that+point+as+soon+as+possible.+I+think+we+could+eventually+raise+that+to+50%25.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CHowever%2C+unless+we+keep+about+half+of+our+profits+and+use+them+for+investment%2C+we+cannot+guarantee+business+growth.+There+may+come+a+time+when+we+decide+that+an+investment+is+deemed+appropriate+and+prioritize+it.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--You+have+decided+to+purchase+an+additional+cruise+ship.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+started+operating+the+%E2%80%99MITSUI+OCEAN+FUJI%E2%80%99+in+December+last+year%2C+and+we+are+seeing+positive+results.+The+response+from+customers+has+been+good.+The+reservation+situation+is+not+bad+either.+At+the+same+time%2C+we+are+finding+it+difficult+to+secure+profits.+We+need+to+prepare+first-class+onboard+activities+to+satisfy+our+customers.+The+quality+of+service+also+needs+to+be+improved.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+would+like+to+consider+ordering+a+new+cruise+ship+once+we+have+established+a+system+that+can+generate+stable+profits+with+two+ships.+The+construction+yard+is+expected+to+be+in+Europe%2C+but+due+to+exchange+rate+fluctuations%2C+ship+prices+are+extremely+high.+Since+we+are+pursuing+a+Japanese+style+and+targeting+the+wealthy+in+Japan+and+Asia%2C+we+would+love+to+have+it+built+at+a+Japanese+shipyard.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Takeshi+Hashimoto+graduated+from+the+Faculty+of+Letters%2C+Kyoto+University+in+1982+and+joined+Mitsui+O.S.K.+Lines+%28now+%3Cb%3EMOL%3C%2Fb%3E%29.+In+2009%2C+he+became+Executive+Officer%3B+in+2012+Managing+Executive+Officer%3B+in+2015+Director%2C+Managing+Executive+Officer%3B+in+2016+Director%2C+Senior+Managing+Executive+Officer%3B+in+2019+Representative+Director+and+Vice+President%3B+and+has+held+his+current+position+since+April+2021.+Born+in+Tokyo%2C+67+years+old.+%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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【海運トップに聞く　25年度の舵取り】(2)商船三井社長・橋本剛氏、事業の稼ぐ力見極め

2025/05/30(金)

日本海事新聞 JMD

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