MOL Announces NEW Asia - West Africa Service via Suez and NEW Asia - Indian Ocean Islands / South Africa - West Africa service

April 02, 2009

Tokyo - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) today announced a New Asia - West Africa Service via Suez and a New Asia - Indian Ocean Islands (IOI) / South Africa - West Africa service.

MOL will change the current Asia - West Africa service from the West Africa Super Express service (WA1) to a New Asia - West Africa service via Suez using a new Europe / West Africa feeder service. At the same time, MOL will introduce a new service, the Indian Ocean Islands, South Africa, West Africa dedicated container service (ISW), which will improve Asia - IOI and South Africa - West Africa trades.

For the Asia - West Africa trade via Suez, MOL will have 2 feeder loops between Europe and West Africa, one of which is dedicated for Lagos, which suffers heavy port congestion. The other feeder service will newly cover Dakar (Senegal) and Cotonou (Benin), two major ports in West Africa. MOL will use the China / Europe service (SCX) as the trunk line connecting to the Europe / Lagos feeder (North loop) via Zeebrugge (Belgium). For the Europe / West Africa feeder (South loop), MOL will use the Japan / China / Europe service (JEX) as the trunk line connecting at Tangier (Morocco).

The New ISW service newly calls at Reunion (France), Walvis Bay (Namibia), and Lobito (Angola), which are main ports in these areas, but are currently not covered by the existing West Africa Super Express service (WA1) which will be suspended.

MOL General Manager, Liner Division T.K. Konishi said, "We investigated the current and likely future trade movements, and considered what would be the most beneficial for our clients. With these changes, we can provide many service routes between West Africa and several areas in the world. We are very confident we will continue to offer a competitive and efficient service to our clients, and continue our longstanding role as a major supporter of trade growth in the region through our West Africa trade services."

The details of the new services are as follows:

• Europe / West Africa feeder (ARN)

  Port Rotation:

  Zeebrugge - Felixtowe - Abidjan - Lagos - Zeebrugge

  Frequency:

  Fortnightly service

  Commencement:

  "MOL Triumph", 6 June, 2009 at Zeebrugge

  Commencement of Trunk line (SCX):

  "APL Finland", 27 April, 2009 at Ningbo, China.

• Europe / West Africa feeder (ARS)

  Port Rotation:

  Tangier - Lisbon - Dakar - Abidjan - Tema - Cotonou - Lome - Tangier

  Frequency:

  Fortnightly service

  Effective voyage:

  "MOL Symphony", 2 June, 2009 at Tangier

  Commencement of Trunk line (JEX):

  "MOL Pace", 27 April, 2009 at Kobe, Japan

• Indian Ocean Islands, South Africa, West Africa dedicated container service (ISW)

  Port Rotation:

  Singapore - Port Louis - Reunion - Tamatave - Maputo - Durban - Capetown - Walvis Bay - Abidjan - Tema - Lome - Lobito - Durban - Singapore

  Frequency:

  10 days service

  Commencement:

  "MOL Volta", 8 May, 2009 at Singapore