May 28, 2019
MOL Techno-Trade Ceremony Marks Participation in Green Award Foundation-backed Marine Environmental Protection Program
- Offering Advantages in Certification for Owners of PBCF-equipped Vessels -
TOKYO - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Junichiro Ikeda; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) announced that on May 20, its group company MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd. (MOL Techno; President: Hirokazu Hatta; Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo) held a ceremony to mark its participation in the "Green Award Program" (Note 2), aimed at promoting "Quality Shipping"(Note 1) on a global scale. The program is run by the nonprofit Green Award Foundation (Head Office: Rotterdam, the Netherlands), which was established with the objectives of protecting the marine environment and enhancing the safety of vessel operation. At the ceremony, President of MOL Techno Hatta received a plaque from Green Award Foundation Executive Director Jan Fransen.
MOL Techno encourages efforts to reduce environmental impact by offering its energy-saving Propeller Boss Cap Fins (PBCFs) at a 3% discount of contract prices to Green Award certified vessels and shipping companies (Notes 3 and 4). Effective April 1, preferential points are added to owners of vessels equipped with PBCF in the screening item, "measures for underwater noise and vibration," which targets shipping companies.
The MOL Group works continually to reduce the environmental impact of its activities by addressing the needs of customers and society through product development and technological innovation.
(Note 1)
Quality Shipping
This refers to action programs that enhance ship management and operation from both aspects of safety (prevention of marine incidents) and the environment (protection of the marine environment).
Green Award Program logomark
(Note 2)
Green Award Program
The program aims to improve the quality of vessels and mariners and protect the marine environment by certifying vessels for excellence in safety and low environmental impact. Companies that share the foundation's goals support them by providing incentives.
PBCF
(Note 3)
PBCF
Propeller Boss Cap Fins (PBCFs) are an energy-saving device that reduces a vessel's fuel consumption by 3% to 5% by eliminating the hub vortex generated behind the rotating propeller and improving propeller efficiency. It was jointly developed by MOL, West Japan Fluid Engineering Laboratory Co., Ltd., and Mikado Propeller Co., Ltd. (now Nakashima Propeller Co., Ltd.), and it has been widely adopted worldwide since its launch in 1987. To date, over 3,300 vessels have been equipped with the PBCF. MOL Techno, MOL, and Akishima Laboratories (Mitsui Zosen) Inc. continue to move ahead on joint research, and the PBCF is continually evolving.
(Note 4)
Please refer to February 13, 2019 press release:
"MOL Techno-Trade Takes Part in Marine Environmental Protection Program Backed by Green Award Foundation"
