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日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Aug 25, 2025 (Mon)

MOL to develop African market by combining existing shipping business with new business

Mr. Watanabe (right) and Mr. Oyama

　MOL Managing Executive Officer Tatsuro Watanabe spoke to this newspaper and other media outlets at ・・・続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80MOL+Managing+Executive+Officer+Tatsuro+Watanabe+spoke+to+this+newspaper+and+other+media+outlets+at+a+joint+event+of+the+9th+Tokyo+International+Conference+on+African+Development+%28TICAD9%29+held+in+Yokohama+City%2C+expressing+his+expectations+for+the+development+of+social+infrastructure+business+in+the+African+market+based+on+the+sea%2C+saying+that+%E2%80%9Cthe+future+potential+is+extremely+great.%E2%80%9C+The+company+plans+to+organically+link+its+existing+shipping+business+related+to+Africa+with+new+businesses+and+develop+businesses+unique+to+the+MOL+Group.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Watanabe+is+currently+based+in+London+as+Chairman+and+Managing+Director+of+MOL%E2%80%99s+UK+subsidiary%2C+MOL+%28Europe+Africa%2C+or+MOLEA%29.+Mr.+Mikio+Oyama%2C+the+representative+for+East+Africa%2C+was+also+present+and+provided+additional+information.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--In+the+group+management+plan+%E2%80%9CBLUE+ACTION+2035%2C%E2%80%9C+the+%E2%80%9Cregional+strategy%E2%80%9C+has+been+positioned+as+one+of+the+main+strategies%2C+along+with+the+%E2%80%9Cportfolio+strategy%E2%80%9C+and+%E2%80%9Cenvironmental+strategy.%E2%80%9C+This+fiscal+year+marks+the+final+fiscal+year+of+Phase+1+of+the+management+plan.+How+is+the+response+to+your+%E2%80%9Cregional+strategy%E2%80%9C+in+the+African+market%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CAt+first%2C+we+were+feeling+our+way+around%2C+but+we+were+able+to+partner+with+Revital+Healthcare%2C+a+major+Kenyan+medical+supplies+manufacturer%2C+to+build+a+logistics+center.+We+also+achieved+a+track+record+by+taking+a+stake+in+the+Alistair+Group%2C+a+logistics+company+that+handles+cross-border+transport+of+critical+mineral+resources.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CAgainst+the+backdrop+of+the+US-China+trade+war+and+other+issues%2C+strengthening+the+supply+chain+for+critical+minerals+is+becoming+increasingly+important.+This+is+a+tailwind+for+Alistair.+Doing+business+in+Africa+presents+many+challenges%2C+but+the+potential+is+immeasurable.+Population+growth+will+continue%2C+particularly+in+the+sub-Saharan+region+%28south+of+the+Sahara+Desert%29.+The+healthcare+sector+is+extremely+promising.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--Phase+2+of+the+management+plan+will+begin+next+fiscal+year.+How+will+you+proceed+with+your+business+in+Africa%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+will+continue+to+pursue+business+opportunities%2C+but+we+are+now+at+a+stage+where+the+results+of+our+actions+will+be+put+to+the+test.+I+was+blessed+with+a+very+good+partner.+We+would+like+to+work+with+other+partners%2C+such+as+trading+companies+and+manufacturers%2C+to+increase+the+value+of+our+investments+and+partners.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+have+invested+in+a+startup+investment+fund+run+by+Novastar+Ventures%2C+a+UK-based+venture+capital+firm+that+is+one+of+the+largest+in+Africa.+We+will+also+utilize+Novastar%E2%80%99s+knowledge+and+information+to+pursue+business+opportunities.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+your+strengths+when+doing+business+in+the+African+market%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+launched+our+%E2%80%98regional+strategy%E2%80%99+in+2021+and+have+been+developing+business+in+Africa+from+scratch%2C+focusing+on+non-maritime+sectors.+On+the+other+hand%2C+we+have+a+long+history+and+a+proven+track+record+in+the+shipping+industry.+PCTCs+boast+a+high+share+of+the+transport+of+new+and+used+cars+to+Africa.+We+also+provide+services+for+LNG+%28liquefied+natural+gas%29+carriers%2C+bulkers%2C+and+tankers.+We+also+operate+FPSOs+%28Floating+Production%2C+Storage+%26+Offloading+systems%29.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CGoing+back+even+further%2C+in+1926%2C+we+were+the+first+Japanese+shipping+company+to+open+a+route+connecting+Japan+with+the+east+coast+of+Africa.+In+1929%2C+a+representative+office+was+also+established+in+Mombasa%2C+Kenya.+We+hope+to+redefine+the+MOL+Group%E2%80%99s+African+business+by+organically+linking+our+long+history+of+business+in+Africa+with+our+recent+business+developments.%E2%80%9C+%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%8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