日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Jun 23, 2025 (Mon)

‌【Interview】Mr.Arima, GM of Ship and Infrastruxture Div. Mitsubishi Corporation, on Unexpected Risk

Mr. Naoki Arima, General Manager of Mitsubishi Corporation’s Shipbuilding and Infrastructure Division

　The environment surrounding the shipping and shipbuilding industries is becoming increasingly uncer ・・・ 続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80The+environment+surrounding+the+shipping+and+shipbuilding+industries+is+becoming+increasingly+uncertain%2C+due+to+changes+in+U.S.+trade+policy+and+rising+geopolitical+risks+in+the+Middle+East.+We+spoke+to+leaders+of+general+trading+companies%E2%80%99+shipping+departments+about+their+market+outlook+and+how+they+are+steering+their+business.+The+first+guest+is+Naoki+Arima%2C+General+Manager+of+the+Shipbuilding+and+Infrastructure+Division+at+%3Cb%3EMitsubishi+Corporation%3C%2Fb%3E.+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+the+prospects+for+the+shipping+and+shipbuilding+market%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+situation+is+very+unpredictable.+Seaborne+cargo+movements+are+expected+to+decline+gradually+in+2025.+China+is+shifting+to+domestic+coal+and+reducing+coal+imports.+The+real+estate+downturn+is+causing+a+decline+in+steel+usage%2C+and+imports+of+raw+materials+for+steel+are+also+expected+to+stagnate.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+impact+of+US+tariff+policies+and+the+Russia-Ukraine+war+is+also+unclear.+I+think+the+risk+of+unexpected+risks+emerging+is+higher+than+last+year.+Tariffs+could+dampen+cargo+movements.+It+could+have+a+negative+impact.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+the+shipbuilding+market%2C+taking+into+account+inflation+in+the+prices+of+materials+and+equipment+and+the+fact+that+slipways+are+sold+out+until+2028%2C+I+don%E2%80%99t+think+the+new+shipbuilding+price+will+fall+significantly.+Inflation+may+be+added+on+top+of+that.+On+the+other+hand%2C+if+event+risks+materialize%2C+we+may+enter+a+correction+phase.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIMO+%28International+Maritime+Organization%29+regulations+on+GHG+%28greenhouse+gas%29+emissions+are+also+attracting+attention.+The+mid-term+measures+to+achieve+net-zero+GHG+emissions+from+international+shipping+by+2050+may+be+stricter+than+the+FuelEU+Maritime+targets+introduced+by+the+EU+%28European+Union%29%2C+but+we+will+be+paying+close+attention+to+how+discussions+at+the+IMO+progress+in+the+future.+This+will+of+course+affect+existing+ships+but+also+investment+decisions+for+new+shipbuilding%2C+so+we+will+need+to+carefully+assess+the+situation.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Strengthening+contact+with+customers+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+was+your+trading+business+%28brokerage+of+new+ships%2C+secondhand+vessels%2C+chartering+ships%2C+etc.%29+in+the+previous+period%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CEven+though+the+delivery+dates+for+new+ships+are+futures%2C+there+have+been+a+fair+number+of+inquiries.+However%2C+this+year%2C+all+shipyards+have+deliveries+into+2029%2C+so+shipowners+are+not+really+showing+any+interest.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CDemand+for+sale+and+leaseback+%28S%26LB%2C+leaseback+after+sale%29+is+also+strong%2C+but+as+European+financial+institutions+are+becoming+more+competitive%2C+it+seems+that+it+is+becoming+more+difficult+to+capture+demand.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CHow+can+we+match+the+needs+of+both+Japanese+shipowners%2C+who+have+a+strong+desire+to+invest%2C+and+overseas+shipowners%2C+who+are+seeking+to+diversify+their+fundraising+sources%3F+I%E2%80%99m+always+looking+for+new+ideas.+As+shipowners+become+more+cash-rich%2C+there+is+also+a+need+for+large+projects+such+as+LNG+%28liquefied+natural+gas%29+carriers.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+transferred+our+trading+business+to+our+wholly-owned+subsidiary%2C+MC+Shipping%2C+two+years+ago.+We+are+now+able+to+provide+more+detailed+customer+service%2C+and+we+feel+that+this+is+a+positive+outcome.+The+advantage+of+the+trading+business+is+that+it+exposes+us+to+a+wide+variety+of+customer+needs.+It+can+also+provide+hints+for+ship-owning+and+cargo+transportation+businesses.+This+is+an+important+function%2C+and+we+will+continue+to+strengthen+it.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+about+the+ship-owning+business%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+own+38+ships%2C+mainly+bulkers.+The+vessels+include+shared+vessels.+They+are+deployed+on+charter+contracts+of+1+to+4+years.+We+would+like+to+increase+the+number+of+ships+we+own+while+replacing+them+with+new+ships+that+have+excellent+environmental+performance.+We+are+also+considering+investment+opportunities+in+dual-fuel+ships+that+can+run+on+alternative+fuels+that+have+a+lower+environmental+impact.+Purchasing+a+young+secondhand+vessel+is+also+an+option.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+movement+towards+low+and+zero+carbon+shipping+varies+depending+on+the+type+of+ship+and+cargo.+While+the+newbuilding+program+of+container+ships+has+shifted+to+environmentally+friendly+ships%2C+many+companies+are+taking+a+wait-and-see+approach+when+it+comes+to+medium-sized+bulkers.+This+is+because+there+is+no+prospect+of+recovering+the+costs+of+dual-fuel+ships.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CEven+for+ships+that+burn+conventional+heavy+fuel+oil%2C+the+fuel+efficiency+of+newly+built+ships+has+improved+dramatically+compared+to+the+past.+As+for+bulkers%2C+we+believe+that+a+realistic+approach+would+be+to+gradually+reduce+GHG+emissions+from+our+entire+fleet+by+switching+to+new+heavy+oil-fueled+ships.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+New+fuels+also+proposed+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--%3Cb%3EMitsubishi+Corporation%3C%2Fb%3E+is+considering+participating+in+a+clean+hydrogen+and+ammonia+production+project+in+the+United+States.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+are+exploring+the+possibility+of+investing+in+projects+to+produce+clean+ammonia%2C+synthetic+methanol+derived+from+renewable+energy%2C+and+biofuels.+Clean+ammonia+is+primarily+used+as+fuel+for+power+generation%2C+but+synthetic+methanol+will+primarily+be+used+as+marine+fuel%2C+so+we+can+work+together+to+stimulate+demand+in+order+to+bring+the+project+to+fruition.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+will+also+be+able+to+use+new+fuel+supplied+from+projects+in+which+we+are+involved+to+fuel+our+own+ships.+We+will+also+explore+ways+to+provide+high-added-value+services+that+leverage+our+comprehensive+capabilities%2C+such+as+proposing+to+customers+combinations+of+new+fuel+and+new+fuel-compatible+ship.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+about+the+freight+transport+business%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+are+responsible+for+transporting+some+of+the+cargo+for+other+departments+within+the+company%2C+such+as+silica+sand%2C+thermal+coal%2C+and+wood+chips+produced+from+mines+in+which+we+have+investments.+The+Company+also+transports+freight+for+third+parties.+Being+able+to+directly+contact+shippers+both+inside+and+outside+the+company+is+a+very+important+function%2C+so+we+would+like+to+expand+it.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+will+pursue+synergy+between+the+three+businesses+of+trading%2C+ship+ownership%2C+and+cargo+transportation.+The+cargo+transportation+division+captures+the+transportation+needs+of+shippers%2C+and+the+ship+owning+division+provides+ships+according+to+demand.+It+is+also+possible+to+utilize+the+network+built+by+the+trading+division+to+carry+out+S%26LB+for+the+ship.+We+want+to+provide+new+value+to+our+customers+and+increase+profits+in+a+complex+way.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+environmental+initiatives+are+you+taking%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+are+working+on+a+liquefied+CO2+%28carbon+dioxide%29+ship.+We+have+completed+a+feasibility+study+for+a+CCS+project%2C+which+envisages+capturing+CO2+emissions+from+a+wide+range+of+industries+in+the+Keiyo+and+Chubu+regions+and+storing+it+in+the+ocean+off+the+coast+of+Oceania.+We+are+also+participating+in+the+LCO2+Shipping+Value+Chain+Common+Council%2C+aiming+to+materialize+the+business.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+terms+of+new+environmental+technologies%2C+we+are+focusing+on+wind+propulsion+auxiliary+devices+for+ships.+The+company+is+working+with+Cargill+to+test+%E2%80%99WindWings%E2%80%99%2C+a+rigid+sail+developed+by+British+company+BAR+Technologies%2C+on+an+actual+ship.+We+would+like+to+first+adopt+new+technologies+and+products+on+our+own+ships+and+assess+their+effects.+If+the+effectiveness+is+confirmed+and+it+is+deemed+to+be+a+promising+technology%2C+we+may+invest+in+the+technology+provider.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+your+staffing+structure+and+bases%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+Ship+%26+Infrastructure+Division+has+about+60+employees%2C+and+MC+Shipping+has+about+90+employees+%28including+seconded+employees%29.+Our+division+is+also+involved+in+the+chartering+business+of+FPSOs+%28Floating+Production%2C+Storage+%26+Offloading+systems%29.+MC+Shipping+has+business+bases+in+Imabari+%28Ehime+Prefecture%29%2C+London+%28UK%29%2C+and+Singapore%2C+and+the+major+ship-owning+country+of+Greece+is+covered+from+our+Athens+branch.+Members+of+this+department+are+also+stationed+in+Houston%2C+USA%2C+and+Sao+Paulo+%28Brazil%29.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%28Published+from+time+to+time%29+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Naoki+Arima+graduated+from+the+Faculty+of+Economics%2C+Keio+University+in+1996+and+joined+%3Cb%3EMitsubishi+Corporation%3C%2Fb%3E.+In+2017%2C+he+joined+the+Corporate+Planning+Department+%28responsible+for+the+Global+Environment+and+Infrastructure+Business+Group%29%2C+in+2020+he+joined+the+Chiyoda+Business+Office+of+the+Plant+and+Engineering+Headquarters%2C+in+2021+he+joined+the+Industrial+Infrastructure+Group+CEO+Office+%28responsible+for+business+investment%2C+business+planning%2C+and+digital+strategy%29%2C+and+he+has+been+in+his+current+position+since+April+2024.+52+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%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

【商社に聞く　不確実性増す海運・造船】(1)三菱商事船舶・インフラ事業部長　有馬直樹氏、想定外のリスク注視

2025/06/23(月)

日本海事新聞 JMD

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