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MOL Table Top Drill Tests Response to Possible Product Tanker Collision, Fire in Tokyo Bay

October 17, 2011

TOKYO - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL, President: Koichi Muto) today announced the completion of a table top drill based on a scenario in which the MOL Group-managed petroleum product tanker Raysut collided with another merchant vessel in Tokyo Bay, resulting in explosions and a fire on board.

The three-hour drill, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, October 14, involved the Raysut as well as the 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters and other organizations. It was aimed at further strengthening MOL's emergency response structure based on the MOL Group Corporate Principles - protecting the environment by maintaining strict, safe operation and navigation standards.

The exercise also was designed to confirm the necessary response procedures and smooth, precise communication so critical in case of a large-scale marine incident near the coast of Japan.

Main participants included:

  • The 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters
  • Maritime Disaster Prevention Center
  • MOL executives and relevant divisions organizing the Emergency Control Headquarters
  • Ship management company MOL Tankship Management (Asia) Pte. Ltd. (Singapore)

In the drill scenario, the Raysut, under way in Tokyo Bay (off Yokohama), had collided with a coastal containership, which was also under way. The drill was conducted based on the assumption that there had been explosions in the Raysut's pump room and cargo tank, and fire had occurred after the collision.

It started with an initial incident report from the product tanker. MOL immediately reported to the 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters and organized an Emergency Control Headquarters, confirmed first-response tasks and procedures such as information gathering and communication among concerned parties, initiating countermeasures for the fire (requesting firefighting operations from the Maritime Disaster Prevention Center), and holding a media response drill.

MOL holds biannual table top drills. The company continues to sharpen its group-wide emergency response readiness procedures by sharing know-how accumulated in these training sessions throughout the MOL Group fleet.