September 3, 2002

MOLTHAI Fully Entrusted to Handle Japan-Thailand Logistics for
Suntory Thailand

TOKYO - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Kunio Suzuki) today announced that its subsidiary Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (Thailand) Co., Ltd.(MOLTHAI) and Thailand Intermodal Systems Co., Ltd. (TIMCO) were contracted to provide logistics services for Suntory products in Thailand, serving distributors and some retail shops. The contract comes as a result of MOL’s action plan for its logistic division, which is to develop a global logistic business network centering on the MOL Logistics Group. The action plan was formed in accordance with the mid-term Group management strategy “MOL next.”

MOLTHAI and TIMCO’s contracted logistics service will start on October 1, 2002, the date Bangkok-based Suntory Thailand also starts operations. The MOL Group will handle ocean transport of Suntory products from Japan (mainly from Osaka), as well as all logistics arrangements - customs clearance, inland transport, warehousing, and nationwide distribution in Thailand.

Six MOL Group companies in Thailand offer a range of logistics services, from bonded warehousing to refrigerated storage, to meet the diverse local needs of customers. MOL is also focusing on third-party logistics services, a field that has attracted considerable attention among many industries.

MOLTHAI was established in 1968, with its headquarters in Bangkok. The company oversees sales, client services, and marketing operations as MOL’s agent, and provides total logistics services in Thailand. Working closely with other MOL Group companies, MOLTHAI offers integrated sea and land transport. In recent years, MOLTHAI has expanded its business with customers in Thailand, Europe, the United States, South Korea, and other countries, as well as with Japanese corporations. As a total logistics company, MOLTHAI coordinates ocean shipping and forwarding services for major automobile and electrical appliance manufacturers. MOLTHAI also offers nationwide product distribution for a leading manufacturer of copy machines; chemical transport using tanker trucks, and international household moving services.

TIMCO was founded in 1987, and is also headquartered in Bangkok. The company offers a range of import/export services for customers at Bangkok’s nearby port facilities. TIMCO also serves as the distribution center for a major photo film company and printer manufacturer, utilizing its convenient location in Bangkok.