MOL and "K" Line Announce Details of new Asia-Mexico/West Coast South America Container Service

March 01, 2006

TOKYO - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL, President: Akimitsu Ashida) and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" Line, President: Hiroyuki Maekawa) today announced details of the new Asia-Mexico/West Coast South America container service called "New Andes," which will be launched in April 2006. The companies previously announced the basic plan on December 5, 2005.

[Outline of New Andes Service]

• 1st Sailing: M/V Cielo D' Europe, ETD Chiwan April 8, 2006
• Weekly service with nine 2,000TEU containerships
  (four from MOL, five from "K" Line)
• Rotation:
  Keelung - Chiwan - Hong Kong - Xiamen - Shanghai - Qingdao* - Pusan-Manzanillo (Mexico)-Buenaventura-Guayaquil-Callao - Iquique-Valparaiso - Lirquen - Yokohama - Keelung
  (*Qingdao: Biweekly calling)

[Features]

• "New Andes" offers stable service to markets positioned for growth in both eastbound and westbound cargo traffic, by offering increased capacity for both dry and reefer containers.
• The eastbound service (from Asia to Mexico/West Coast South America) starts direct calling at three new ports in China (Xiamen, Shanghai, and Qingdao) to more effectively serve the growing Chinese market. "ew Andes" will be the first service that offers direct link from Xiamen / Qingdao to West Coast South America ports.
• The westbound service (from West Coast South America to Asia) offers faster transit time. Particularly, the route from Chile to Asia provides the fastest service in the market (Valparaiso-Yokohama 22 days, Valparaiso-Keelung 25 days, Valparaiso-Hong Kong 27days).