Charting a new course forward

THE history of Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) can be traced back more than 130 years with the founding of Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) in 1884, when 55 shipowners combined their operations.

MOL came into its current form in 1964, following the merger of OSK and Mitsui Steamship Co. Today, the group has close to 900 vessels in its fleet.

In March this year, MOL announced its intention to order six container ships capable of carrying 20,150 20-foot containers. When completed, these vessels will be among the largest container ships in the world. Four of the ships will be built at Samsung Heavy Industries' shipyards in South Korea while the remaining two will be constructed by Imabari Shipbuilding in Japan.