Japan’s shipping company MOL (Mitsui OSK Lines) decided to integrate two ferry and coastal RORO shipping companies - MOL Ferry Co and Ferry Sunflower Ltd.
On October 1st, 2023, the companies are to be merged, with MOL Ferry as the surviving one.
As a result of the merger, MOL Ferry will become Japan’s largest in this market.
In April 2023, MOL will establish a new “Headquarters of Wellbeing & Lifestyle Business”, bringing together the company's ferry, coastal RoRo ship, real estate, cruise ship, and other businesses.
The company plans to achieve further growth by integrating the two companies, which play a core role in the ferry business of MOL Group.
MOL said it was also “aiming to flexibly meet changes in customer transportation needs and further improve transport services by concentrating the management resources of the group companies, with an eye toward a decarbonized society, digital transformation (DX), and solutions to logistics.”
In January, MOL welcomed Japan's first LNG-powered cruiseferry. The ship (Sunflower Kurenai/IMO 9900112) launched operations on January 13th between the Osaka-Beppu route, which links Sunflower Ferry Terminal (Osaka Prefecture) and Beppu International Tourist Port (Oita Prefecture). The vessel will serve as a replacement for the Sunflower Ivory ferry.
The company plans to invest ~JPY 200 billion (USD 1,81 billion) in low carbon/decarbonization fields over 3 years from 2021 through to the 2023 fiscal year. The environmental strategy is to see the company accelerate initiatives including developing a GHG, moving up the net GHG emission zero schedule by 2050, introducing internal carbon pricing, promoting alternative fuel, energy conversation, and operational efficiency.