Director Koichi Muto of MOL said in the New Year speech that, considering the customer demand, MOL is planning to build overseas transportation business centers.

“A liner business centre is planned to be set up in Hong Kong during the first quarter of this year. Besides, to further expand and upgrade our business, another dry bulk carrier and tanker business center in Singapore is now under consideration.” Said by Koichi Muto, “MOL got a total loss of 27 billion yen ($320 million) in 2012, and this was the biggest loss ever to MOL. Oversupply brought sharp decreasing to both dry and liquid cargo freight rates, leading to the loss.”

MOL expects to focus on newly emerged markets in 2013, to develop its seaborne trade volume. What’s more, MOL also plans to reduce the newbuildingdeliveries, by adjusting the size of fleet and service routes, to gain efficient fleet scale, rationalized service, and liberalized usage of space.