MOL becomes the 1st Japanese shipping company to join Washington Maritime Blue
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. has become the first Japanese shipping company to participate in the non-profit organization "Leadership Initiative to Promote Maritime Cluster Innovation and the Blue Economy (Note)," organized by Washington Maritime Blue, a strategic alliance for the collaborative creation of a sustainable maritime industry.
WMB membership encompasses more than 150 maritime organizations such as port authorities, port management companies, tugboat companies, classification societies, industry associations, research institutes, and government agencies as well as shipping companies, plus more than 50 startup companies specializing in cutting-edge maritime technologies. It is forming clusters that accelerate innovation in maritime-related technologies and promote the Blue Economy, by connecting across corporate and organizational boundaries and building a broad and diverse network. MOL will contribute to the development of this cluster by leveraging the technological expertise and know-how it has accumulated over the years in the ocean transport and offshore businesses. The company will provide technology demonstration opportunities for stakeholders in the cluster, especially start-ups, and broadly explore potential strategic partnerships and collaborations.
The MOL Group has positioned environmental strategy as one of its key strategies in its "BLUE ACTION 2035" management plan, and established the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2." In pursuit of a world in harmony with nature, the group focuses not only on measures to address climate change, but also biodiversity protection, air pollution prevention, and marine environmental conservation, which is deeply related to marine transport, its main business. The group will work closely with WMB and participating members to address social issues.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, headquartered in Japan, is a leading global shipping company operating about 800 ships across the world. MOL develops various social infrastructure businesses centering on ocean shipping, technologies and services to meet ever-changing social needs including environmental protection. The MOL fleet includes dry bulk ships (bulk carriers), liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, car carriers, and oil tankers. In addition to its traditional shipping businesses, MOL is also developing "wellbeing life businesses" such as real property, cruise ships, and ferries, in addition to social infrastructure businesses such as terminal operations, logistics, and offshore wind power.
Washington Maritime Blue is a non-profit, strategic alliance formed to accelerate innovation and sustainability in support of an inclusive blue economy.
