Global Coverage - Canada/USA/Mexico
MOL Recognized as "Green" Vessel Operator by Port of Long Beach
MOLAM's James Wu accepts green flag from Port of Long Beach Commissioners and the Port's Executive Director.
Left to right: Dr. Mike Walter, Assistant Secretary; John W. Hancock, Secretary; Mario Cordero, Vice President; James C. Hankla, President; Doris Topsy-Elvord, Commissioner; James Wu, MOLAM; and Richard D. Steinke, Executive Director.
MOL was recognized as an environmentally friendly fleet operator by the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on March 20, 2006. The board presented MOL with a symbolic green flag for operating a fleet that included at least two green ships, sailed 50 or more voyages to Long Beach, and exceeded the average compliance during 2005. Representing MOL at the award ceremony was James Wu, Senior Account Executive/Export Sales from MOLAM's Long Beach Office.

The Port of Long Beach initiated the Green Flag Incentive Program to reduce the harmful air emissions resulting from port activities. The program calls for vessel operators to voluntarily maintain a 12-knot speed limit within 20 miles of the port. The port projects that if all vessels calling Long Beach complied with the speed reduction limit, area smog (nitrogen oxides) would be reduced annually by nearly 550 tons.
M.V. Miraculous Ace Makes Maiden U.S. Call
Left to right: Captain Shamsul Alam, Master of the M.V. Miraculous Ace; Robert (Bob) Gaffney, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey; and Ken Wong, Norton Lilly International, MOL's New York/New Jersey Agent. (Photo by Frank Billman, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey)
Miraculous Ace
On April 29, the pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) M.V. Miraculous Ace made its maiden call to the United States at Port Elizabeth, New Jersey. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey marked the occasion with the presentation of a plaque to Captain Shamsul Alam, Master of the ship.

Loaded with new Nissan and Infiniti automobiles manufactured in Japan, the M.V. Miraculous Ace can hold over 5,200 vehicles. One in a series of 12 new PCTCs delivered by Imabari Shipbuilding Company, Ltd., these vessels are among the most advanced in the MOL fleet, with features to enhance environmental friendliness, loading/discharging efficiency, and safety.
MOLAM Ad is a Textbook Case of Marketing Excellence
MOL (America) Inc.'s textile ad was selected by Fairchild Publications, Inc., to represent the industry in a collegiate import simulation textbook called Perry's Department Store by Donna W. Reamy and Cynthia W. Steele. Fairchild Publications, Inc. publishes Women's Wear Daily, the most read and respected publication for textile and apparel importers.
The textbook focuses on the dynamics of the import process. MOLAM's textile ad, with its strong graphic depicting the result of unreliable service, is included in the section called Logistics of Importing: Transporting the Import Purchase. The textbook will be used in undergraduate and graduate fashion and merchandising curriculums throughout the United States.

"The selection of MOLAM's textile ad for inclusion in one of Fairchild publication's textbooks is a tremendous honor and affirmation that the ad achieved our objectives," said Ed Huebbe, MOLAM's Manager of Corporate Communications. "Our ultimate goal was to create an ad that branded MOL as the ocean carrier that textile and apparel shippers could count on for on-time performance. Our strategy was to graphically reflect the sophistication of the fashion industry, while directly addressing these shippers' worst nightmare, a late delivery resulting in a storefront with bare manikins."

Huebbe and the creative team at Longwater & Company, Inc., MOLAM's marketing and advertising firm, worked closely to develop the concept.
Area Operations Announces 2nd Quarter Gator Award Winner
Jennifer Eckard, Supervisor of Corporate Equipment, is the deserving recipient of the second quarter Area Operations "Gator Award" for 2006. Jennifer was nominated for her outstanding customer service efforts. Good work, Jennifer!
Managers Meet at Long Beach for 3rd Annual Equipment Meeting
A group shot of the meeting's participants.
The operations managers and regional vice presidents for Canada, North America, South America, and the Caribbean met on May 8 and 9 at MOL's Regional Office in Long Beach, California, for their third annual equipment meeting.

During the meeting, a variety of topics were discussed such as fleet aging and achieving the targets set by Tokyo's Container Management Group (CONMO). Brainstorming on how to most efficiently manage MOL's equipment was put on the fast track by using small discussion groups during the breakout sessions.

Participants wrapped up the final afternoon of the event with a close-up look at terminal operations during a boat tour of the harbor. Not only did the participants walk away with a better understanding of operations, and the new tools available to help them, the meeting also served as a great camaraderie builder.
Participants able to stay for the harbor tour gather for a photo op at the bow of their tour boat. Note the MOL vessels and TraPac, Inc. cranes in the background.
MOLAM Lends a Helping Hand
Volunteers from across the country rebuild homes and churches ravaged by Katrina. MOLAM donated containers and free delivery of the building materials.
Over the past year, MOLAM and its employees have contributed in numerous ways to the communities in which they do business and live. Often these contributions are in response to natural catastrophes, such as Hurricane Katrina, while others bring about an exchange of cultures or support charitable activities.

In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina, one of the most deadly and costly hurricanes in U.S. history, devastated much of the north-central Gulf Coast. Like the tsunami crisis in Asia the year before, MOLAM assisted in relief efforts with donations of containers and shipping services to several organizations moving relief supplies to the affected areas.

One such group was the First Christian Church of Urbana. MOLAM donated shipping containers to be filled with building materials, and then transported the containers to the towns of Mandeville and Slidell, Louisiana. Through the hard-work of volunteers from across the country, the building materials were used to rebuild homes and churches ravaged by Katrina.
Happy cooks express their appreciation for their new cookware.
In Georgia, life was made a little easier for family cooks when MOLAM, Meyer Corporation, and Go-Kart World teamed up to deliver free cookware to Katrina victims. Meyer Corporation, makers of well-known cookware brands such as Circulon, donated the cookware, Go-Kart World provided warehousing and distribution in Georgia, and MOLAM donated free transportation of the cookware from the West Coast.

Among the more unique requests, the Savannah Christian Church proved a donated container can be used for more than just moving goods. This group converted their container into a portable shower facility complete with sinks and hot water. Not only was a hot shower a mental lift to a hurricane victim, it also played an important role in preventing the outbreak of sickness and disease.

To inspire others to give to Katrina relief, MOLAM ran a Katrina relief ad in several prominent industry publications. Along with matching company contributions, MOLAM employees answered the call for cash contributions by donating a combined total of over US$32,000 to Katrina relief organizations.
MOLAM's Hurricane Katrina ad ran in several U.S. publications to raise awareness of the relief effort.
While the true measure of a company can be seen during the worst of times, a company that is truly part of the community contributes when the need is not so dire. MOLAM is a founding contributor to the Kitty Strozier Foundation for Women in the Arts. This foundation, created in memory of Kitty Strozier, Creative Director at MOLAM's advertising agency, Longwater & Company, has been created to help budding female artists realize their potential.

As the world rushes to globalize, global companies can play an important role in fostering a mutual understanding between different cultures. Perhaps there is no better way to bring people together than through the American pastime of baseball. MOLAM sponsored a luncheon at the University of North Florida (UNF) during an exhibition game series between the university and the four-time All-Japan University Champion Aoyama Gakuin team at UNF's Harmon Stadium. The company also helped the future baseball stars of San Pedro, California, when it donated a container to East View Little League to store equipment.
Son of Seattle MOLAM Employee Courageous Beyond His Years
Photos by Rod Boultinghouse
On November 20, 2005, Phi-Ho Phan, son of MOLAM Seattle employee Maria Boultinghouse, was shopping at the Sam Goody music store in the Tacoma Mall when a gunman entered the store firing a semi-automatic assault rifle. Phan was held hostage for four hours while police negotiated with the gunman.

After his release, Phan was able to give investigators a detailed description of the suspect and the events that transpired in the store. While only 13 years old, he showed courage beyond his years. The Tacoma Police Department presented Phan with a Certificate of Merit for his invaluable assistance in their investigation of this harrowing event which left six people wounded.
Grace Lomba Embraces World Cup Spirit
Little Grace shows her support for the U.S. and Portuguese teams competing in the 2006 World Cup. Two-year-old Grace just happens to have picked the teams her dad, John Lomba, MOL Bulk Shipping USA, avidly supports.

As Lomba is quick to point out, soccer's popularity in the United States is not as widespread as it is in many countries throughout the world. During the World Cup, loyalty to one's team or teams is often a point of contention between even the best of friends. But once a match or the World Cup concludes, it's back to wonderful friendships and daily life as usual.
Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert Boosts Attendance at Charleston Trade Conference
Lisa Thronburg (left) and Sharon Floyd (right) of MOL's Charleston Import Operations with Stephen Colbert.
The Port of Charleston hosted the 33rd Annual South Carolina International Trade Conference (SCITC) on May 22-24. In a successful effort to increase attendance, the conference's chairperson secured her brother, Stephen Colbert, as the keynote speaker for the luncheon on May 23.

Stephen Colbert, one of Comedy Central Television's top names, promised the attendees that he would "speak at great length and with great authority on a subject I know nothing about." Colbert, true to form, touched on key industry issues with the comedic twist that has made him famous. He brought his audience to their feet with his observation regarding trade with China, "China's economy is booming. It is time we learned about capitalism from these communists." Colbert, a Charleston native, was recently named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine. Container Maintenance Corporation sponsored the luncheon.
MOLAM Stork Pictures
Evan Kwong was born at 7:29 p.m. on March 24, 2006, weighing 6 lbs., 11 oz. and measuring 19 inches. His proud parents are Concord Reefer Analyst, Herman Kwong, and his wife Mary.