May 4 marked the delivery of the membrane-type 210,000m³-LNG carrier Al Aamriya at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Company's (DSME) Okpo Shipyard, and left for its maiden voyage to Ras Laffan. The ship is jointly owned by a consortium comprised of MOL, Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat), Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line), Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and Iino Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd. On February 22, a naming ceremony was held in the presence of MOL President Akimitsu Ashida. Fluxys (Belgium) CEO Sophie Dutordoir named the ship and cut the rope. Al Aamriya will enter to a long-term charter for RasGas3 (Qatar) and will transport LNG from Qatar to the U.S. and the Far East.

The pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Orchid Ace (capacity: 6,400 units of standard passenger cars) was delivered at the Shin Kurushima Dockyard Co., Ltd. on May 7, and left for its maiden voyage to Southeast Africa.

The Orchid Ace, the first PCTC delivered in 2008, boasts a high service speed and a structure in which all decks can accommodate tall vehicles. Environment-friendly features include a wind resistance-reducing design that saves energy and a double-hulled fuel tank, in addition to all other available advanced safety systems.

It is the first Japanese-flagged vessel launched under the Japanese tonnage tax system, with took effect this year. The Orchid Ace will play a key role in MOL's future car carrier business.

The pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Swift Ace (capacity: 6,400 units of standard passenger cars) was delivered at the Minaminippon Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. on May 20, 2008, and left for its maiden voyage to the U.S. West Coast.

The Swift Ace boasts a high service speed and a structure in which all decks can accommodate tall vehicles and also features advanced safety systems. It also has an environment-friendly design such as a newly adopted solar power system.

It serves not only the main trades from Far East but also crosstrades such as in the Atlantic.

May 26 marked the naming and delivery ceremony for the Falcon Express, a LR II type product tanker, at the Sasebo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Sasebo Shipyard.

The Falcon Express left the same day for its maiden voyage to take on cargo at Ulsan, South Korea.

The vessel transports naphtha from the Middle East to Asia, contributing to stable transport of petroleum products.

The 93,000MT class coal carrier Nanaumi was built at Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and launched on June 20. It is a dedicated vessel for Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc.

The Nanaumi is the second Type 93 Power Max coal carrier, jointly developed by MOL and Namura for electric power companies. It will transport coal mainly from Australia and Indonesia to Chugoku Electric Power. This is the third vessel for the company, following the Koyo Maru launched in 1985 and the Energia Centaurus in 2001.

On June 30, the 210,000m³ membrane-type LNG carrier Murwab was delivered to the Owner at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Company's (DSME) Okpo Shipyard. It is jointly owned by a consortium comprised of MOL, Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat), Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line), Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and Iino Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd. Effective the same day, the Murwab was chartered to RasGas3 (Qatar) on a long term contract. Its main assignment will be the transportation of LNG from Qatar to the U.S. and Far East. This is the fourth vessel of a series of eight ordered for the RasGas3 project. The Murwab and the Al Aariya, which has been delivered in May, are the largest MOL Group-operated LNG carriers.

June 27 marked the launching of the 8,100 TEU MOL Competence, the 300^th ship built at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works.

The vessel adopts 47kg high-tensile steel plate and the most advanced electronically controlled engine, and is designed to the highest standards of safety and environment friendliness. The MOL Competence was launched to serve the SCX route from China to Europe, and left for its maiden voyage to the first loading Port of Ningbo.

On June 20, the pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Amethyst Ace (capacity: 6,400 units of standard passenger cars) was delivered at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works, and left for its maiden voyage to Australia.

The Amethyst Ace is the third PCTC delivered in 2008 and the sister vessel of the put Aquarius Ace in italics. It has a high service speed and a structure in which all decks can accommodate tall vehicles. Its environment-friendly features include a wind resistance-reducing design that saves energy and a double hulled fuel tank. It also adopts all installable advanced safety systems, setting a new standard for our car carrier fleet.

It serves not only the main trades for North America and Europe, but also the Middle East and Africa, markets that are showing continued strong growth.

The PCTC Salvia Ace (capacity: 4,100 units of standard passenger cars) was delivered at Shin Kurushima Dockyard Co., Ltd. on July 11, 2008, and left for its maiden voyage to the U.S. West Coast. The Salvia Ace is a midsize PCTC, which has not been built for a while, and built as part of the company's fleet expansion plan.

It serves mainly in the trade for Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa, where trade remains brisk, and will make a strong contribution to the MOL's car carrier business.

July 20 marked the launching of the 8,100 TEU containership MOL Cosmos at the Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Koyo Shipyard. It is the largest containership built at that shipyard, and first 8,100 TEU type.

After delivery, the MOL Cosmos went into service on the SCX route linking Europe and China, and left for its maiden voyage to the first loading Port of Ningbo, China.

On July 29, the 75,000m³ LNG carrier Cheikh Bouamama was delivered at the Universal Shipbuilding Corporation Tsu Shipyard. It is jointly owned by a consortium comprised of MOL, ITOCHU Corporation, the Algerian state-owned oil company Sonatrach, and HYPROC Shipping Company. It is a Mediterranean Max class ship, the optimum LNG carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, and MOL Group's third vessel for Algeria Sonatrach, following its sister vessel Cheikh El Mokrani delivered in June 2007.

On July 8, the naming ceremony was with guests including Sonatrach Vice President Chawki Rahal, HYPROC President Mohammed Meziane, and MOL Senior Managing Director Yoichi Aoki. Sonatrach Vice President Rahal named the ship and cut the rope.

The Cheikh Bouamama is named after a leader of the Algerian people's resistance movement against French colonial rule in the 19^th Century.