"K" Line

July 22, 2011

KAWASAKI KISEN KAISHA, LTD. (“K” Line) is pleased to announce launching of a new dedicated service (called CIX-2) between the Far East and Indian Sub-Continent from 10^th August 2011.

The new CIX-2 service, currently operated by Evergreen Line and Simatech Shipping, will run with six 2500-2800 teu vessels and offer a fixed-day weekly sailing. “K” Line will deploy one vessel to this new service.

The port rotation will be as follows:

Xingang – Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Singapore – Tanjung Pelepas – Port Kelang –  Nhava Sheva – Karachi – Colombo – Port Kelang – Tanjung Pelapas – Singapore – Xingang.

“K” Line presently operates another weekly service (called INDFEX) calling at Nhava Sheva port. The new service will double sailing frequency for Nhava Sheva and newly add Xingang and Qingdao as direct calling ports.

“K” Line continues to provide high quality direct service to meet customer demands and enhance service coverage between the Far East and Indian Sub-Continent.

For further information, please contact:

Fumiyoshi Sato

Manager, Planning Team, Containerships Strategy Group

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

Tel: +81-3-3595-5341　Fax: +81-3-3595-5288

July 21, 2011

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) is pleased to announce an upgrade of its West Africa Express Service (WAX) to a weekly service with an additional Singapore call on both west and eastbound.

A total of 11 vessels will be deployed with “K” Line deploying 2 vessels, China Shipping 4, Hapag-Lloyd 2 and the remaining 3 coming from Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), who will newly join the service, covering a 77-day round voyage.

Details of the service are as follows:-

• Vessel Deployment:

Eleven (11) x 2500 TEU type vessel

• New WAX service rotation (77-day round voyage):

Shanghai – Ningbo – Xiamen – Shekou – Singapore – Port Kelang – Durban (South Africa) – Tema (Ghana) – Lome (Togo) – Cotonou (Benin) – Tincan Island (Nigeria) – Durban –

Port Kelang – Singapore – Shanghai

• Commencement date:

Departure from Shanghai on August 23, 2011

“K” Line offers efficient, high-quality services in its Far East – West Africa service with additional Singapore call, which provides wider connection coverage for Southeast Asian countries.

15th July 2011

“K” Line held the 5th Global Meeting of “K” Line Maritime Academy (KLMA) which is the aggregation of our seafarer’s training centre in the world including the career path of seafarer on 4th and 5th of July in Tokyo. 110 and more participants including instructors from each KLMA around the world, representatives of in-house ship management companies and concerned manning agents, President and CEO Jiro Asakura, “K” Line executives and staff attended this meeting.

In the plenary session on the first day and the instructors’ meeting on the second day, KLMA (Headquarters) in Tokyo explained the review of current measures and policies for securing and fostering seafarers in view of 5 years having elapsed since its establishment as well as showing new direction for the future. Each ship management company introduced its own specialized approach to training and KLMA instructors introduced the present situation and their effort at each KLMA in the world.  The discussions for those issues were executed very actively and positively and all attendees shared KLMA’s future challenges.

Furthermore, KLMA Instructors took the real danger sensing course as external training for their skill improvement on 7th July. They will bring their new knowledge and experience back to their countries and put their new skills into action from the KLMA training.

According to the KLMA Master Plan based on these common consensus, we will accelerate progress towards securing and fostering good seafarers to fulfill our safety standards, assure maximum safety of navigation, maintain and improve the “K” Line brand of Security, Safety and Trust, and then achieve “Synergy for All and Sustainable Growth,” the main theme of our mid-term management plan called “K” LINE Vision 100.

July 14, 2011

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) completed a dedicated vessel contract for grain raw material transportation, from North America Gulf, West Coasts and Australia using Panamax and Handymax type vessels, with the National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations (JA Group).

The distribution volume of domestic mixed grains varies between 24 -25 million tons a year, and the handling amount of JA Group accounts for about 30 percent. In concluding all contracts, “K” Line will transport about two million tons of grain for JA Group in total.

JA Group aims to provide a constant supply of grain to Japan through the efficiency of this transportation system, effected by the reliability and dependability of these vessels, and consequently helping in the support of production of Japan’s domestic stock raising farmers.

““K” LINE Vision 100 – New Challenges” is the mid-term management plan that the Company announced in April, which includes a fleet expansion plan for mainly small and medium-sized bulk vessels. This plan encourages efforts to promote a stronger relationship with the JA Group, including a series of contracts in the future similar to this current one, which will strive to achieve our mission for “Expansion of stable earnings base and sustainable growth”.

5  July , 2011 

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line Group) will start a campaign to save electric power consumption in its head office in Tokyo that includes introduction of in-house Summer Time working hours system and reduce lighting and use of air conditioners. “K” Line Group has been proactively taking measures to reduce consumption of electricity by partially turning off lights in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in March that crippled the Fukushima nuclear plant, sparking serious concerns about power shortages in Eastern Japan, including Tokyo. Over the past few years, “K” Line Group has implemented lower electrical consumption in summer by setting the temperature of air conditioners at 28C in consideration of environmental conservation. The campaign this summer is aimed at cutting power consumption by 25 percent compared with the peak season last year through enhancing such power saving measures.

Measures include:

– Partial shutdown of air conditioners

– Reduction of lighting units by half

– Introduction of in-house Summer Time working hours system

– Introduction of “Super Cool Biz” (Expansion of Casual Day from Friday to all working days) 

The campaign is scheduled to begin on July 11 (Mon) in order to prevent power outages for over two months after the end of this year’s rainy season during which time demand for electricity is expected to reach its highest level.

“K” Line Group continues to proactively contribute to society as a good corporate citizen and is committed to a voluntary approach to protect and preserve the environment.” 

For further information, please contact:

Ryoichi Ikeda

Division Manager, CSR & Compliance division

Tel: +81-3-3595-5092   Fax: +81-3-3595-5175

Toshiaki Takasaki

Manager, Information & Public Relations Team, IR & PR Group

Tel: +81-3-3595-5189 　Fax: +81-3-3595-5001

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line)

DAIO AZALEA, a woodchip carrier owned by an overseas subsidiary of TAIYO NIPPON KISEN CO., LTD. which is the wholly-owned ship managing subsidiary of “K” Line, rescued 2 Italians from STELLA COMETA, a 43-foot catamaran that sank 900 miles east of Boston on May 11. 

STELLA COMETA was on a voyage from New York City to Portugal, but she requested the rescue after suffering a broken mast and was taking on water after hitting a big wave. DAIO AZALEA was 28 miles from the stricken sailboat when the U.S Coast Guard radioed a request to assist at around 5:15pm local time on May 11. DAIO AZALEA rushed to the scene and at around 7:45pm found the abandoned crew members in life rafts. As rescue operations continued in the darkness of night while facing heavy and threatening sea conditions, both of the Italians were finally safely transferred to DAIO AZALEA at around 10:30pm. Once onboard, their health condition was reportedly good and they safely disembarked at Pozzalo port in Italy on May 23.

About DAIO AZALEA :

Ship Management       :  TAIYO NIPPON KISEN CO., LTD.

Captain                            :  Master Sinoy, Ely Cataluna

Flag                                   :  Panama

Crew                                 :  20 Filipinos including the Captain

Gross Tonnage             :  40,330 tons

Type of Vessel              : Woodchip Carrier

For further information please contact:

Toshiaki Takasaki

Manager, Information & Public Relations Team, IR & PR Group

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.  Tel: +81-3-3595-5083　Fax: +81-3-3595-5001

April 11, 2011

KAWASAKI KISEN KAISHA, LTD. (“K” LINE) as a member of CKYH – the Green Alliance (COSCON, “K” LINE, Yang Ming and Hanjin Shipping) is pleased to announce the restructuring of its liner services between Asia and North America East Coast (called the “AWE” Loops).

While CKYH continues to operate five weekly service loops (AWE1-5), AWE-5 service upgrades its vessel capacity with altered calling ports and AWE-2 & AWE-3 add calling at Norfolk and Shanghai, respectively. These changes enhance comprehensive service network between Asia – North America East Coast and offer quality services to customers.

Above changes take effect from end of April 2011 and thereafter calling ports of each service loop will be as follows:

• AWE-1 (4000Teu vessels x 9)

Qingdao – Ningbo – Shanghai – Pusan – New York – Wilmington – Savannah – Pusan – (Qingdao)

• AWE-2 (4500Teu vessels x 9)

Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Yokohama – Savannah – Norfolk – New York – Boston – (Qingdao

• AWE-3 (4250Teu vessels x 9)

Hong Kong – Yantian – Kaohsiung – Shanghai – Pusan – Savannah – Charleston – Wilmington – (Hong Kong)

• AWE-4 (5500Teu vessels x 9)

Ho Chi Minh – Shekou – Hong Kong – Yantian – Singapore – Halifax – New York – Norfolk – Jacksonville – Savannah – Singapore – (Ho Chi Minh)

• AWE-5 (5500Teu vessels x 9)

Kaohsiung – Hong Kong – Yantian – Ho Chi Minh – Singapore – New York – Norfolk – Boston – Singapore – (Kaohsiung)

For further information, please contact:

Fumiyoshi Sato

Manager, Planning Team, Containerships Strategic Group

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

Tel: +81-3-3595-5341　Fax: +81-3-3595-5288

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) via its European subsidiary company possesses 50% share of SAL Group in 2007, which engages in heavy lift transportation headquartered in Germany, and 2 executive officers were dispatched from “K” Line to work with the 3 existing partners. “K” Line has reached a basic agreement with joint venture partners on purchasing all (in total 50%) of the shares of SAL Group at the end of June 2011. With this transaction, “K” Line will become 100% owner of SAL Group.

With the current economic rebound, heavy lifter business is considered an essential tool for the development of big projects such as those in the oil and gas industry, which is expected to grow even further. Particularly, 2 most-advanced vessels having the largest lifting capacity in the world of 2,000 tons and equipped with DP (Dynamic Positioning System) were delivered in December 2010 and March 2011. These vessels are equally as suited to service-demanding offshore projects within the oil and gas industry as they are in assisting in the installation of foundations for offshore wind parks. By further building up in this field, “K” Line will create a new synergy with offshore support vessel and drill ship business department.  “K” Line concluded to make this purchase because acquiring 100% share of SAL Group was considered a favorable opportunity for the build-up of Heavy Lifter Business, which, by taking advantage of “K” Line’s extensive worldwide network, will result in a synergy that is in line with “K” Line’s corporate policy to increase the ratio of its non-container business sector. 

After acquiring 100% ownership of SAL, “K” Line expects to keep the trading name of SAL, location of head office and employment of all current staff; especially “K” Line would like current staff to continuously play an important role in SAL. Mr. Lars Rolner, who is one of the existing partners, will remain as CEO after the sale of his share.

The “K” Line group has a firm intention to develop heavy lifter business as a core business of “K” Line with the established trade name of SAL and combining abundant experiences and know-how of management and staff of SAL in heavy lifter business.

SAL Group was founded by the Heinrich Family, its company history going back to 1865 when first vessel SS “Amoenitas” built by Sietas Shipyard in Germany came into the world. SAL has a staff of almost 120 onshore, and about 100 German and 400 Philippines crew members on vessels worldwide. The SAL Group of companies provides a large array of services including sales/project management, vessel operation and ship management engineering and crewing. SAL possesses and operates 16 heavy lift carriers which have lifting capacity of 600~2,000 tons offering 20-knot navigation speed, fastest in the heavy lift industry. And SAL is also the first heavy lift specialist to be certified for HSE (OHASAS18001 and ISO14001), as well as having an environmental passport and meets all highest environmental standards. Its high- spec fleet and highly-skilled officers and crews have an excellent reputation in the market.

For further information please contact:

Makoto Arai

General Manager, IR & PR Group

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

Tel: +81-3-3595-5189　Fax: +81-3-3595-5001

Toshiaki Takasaki

Manager, Information & Public Relations Team, IR & PR Group

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

Tel: +81-3-3595-5083　Fax: +81-3-3595-5001

16 March 2011 : 

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) would like to extend its deepest condolences for the victims of the 3-11 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami off the Pacific Coast of Japan.

“K” Line decided to donate JPY50million to Japanese Red Cross Society, and “K” Line and its group companies will establish a fund-raising scheme.

“K” Line is also studying support measures for the area stricken by the disaster as a business organization centering on shipping so that everyone affected can return to normal life conditions as early as possible.

For further information please contact:

Makoto Arai

General Manager, IR & PR Group

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

Tel: +81-3-3595-5189　Fax: +81-3-3595-5001

Toshiaki Takasaki

Manager, Information & Public Relations Team, IR & PR Group

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

Tel: +81-3-3595-5083　Fax: +81-3-3595-5001