OREANDA-NEWS. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. today announced the company's top news stories for 2014 as follows:

Midterm Management Plan STEER FOR 2014 started
* The three-year midterm management plan STEER FOR 2020, outlines the vision for the MOL Group in 2020 and sets the course to reach that destination. The group aims at JPN 100 billion in ordinary income in FY2016 ending March 31, 2017 under the main theme "Solid growth through innovative changes." (April)

Proactive business expansion
(LNG carriers)
* Reached deal on joint ownership of a new LNG carrier for Chubu Electric Power Company(May)
* Signed deal to charter two LNG carriers for Mitsui Corporation that will serve the Cameron Project in the U.S. (September)
* Signed basic agreement for charter contracts, reached a deal to build three new LNG carriers for Tokyo Gas. (February, November, December)
* Signed strategic association with Reliance for transportation of Liquefied Ethane from United States to India. This will make MOL to be the first shipping company who is dedicated for a continuous Liquefied Ethane transportation by Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLEC). (December)

(Offshore business)
* Signed deal to build three ice class LNG carriers for the Yamal LNG project in Russia. (July)

(Car carriers)
* Launched Mexico-NAFTA car carrier service. (April)

(Tankers)
* Signed deal to build and charter six methanol carriers for MHTL and AMPCO. (February)
* Established a joint venture with Viken of Norway, setting the stage for a move into the shuttle tanker business. (September)
* Began joint ship management and crewmember training businesses with Singapore-based Synergy Group. (October)

(Containerships)
* Reached deal on strategic alliance with Brookfield. (January)
* G6 Alliance started Asia-North America East Coast and Atlantic Ocean services. (May)

Ongoing initiatives toward setting "the world's highest standards in safe operation"
* Received "Award of Excellence" from Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. (February)
* Four MOL-operated/managed vessels selected as "2013 Best Quality Ships" by the Japan Federation of Pilots' Associations. (April)
* MOL-operated Soma Maru named "Bulk Ship of the Year" at the IBJ Awards 2014. (November)

New initiatives on environmental protection
* Took delivery of a vessel equipped with a waste heat energy recovery system, which is a core element technology of ISHIN-III. (July)

Social contribution activities in commemoration of the 130th anniversary of MOL's foundation
* Implemented educational support-"Connect with books-Tohoku support activities," and "Career education lecture" for areas afflicted by the Great East Japan Earthquake. (April-November)
* Presented framed vessel photos to crewmember educational institutes in Japan. (September)

Social contribution activities
* Pledged emergency support to combat spread of Ebola. (September)
Compliance
* In response to the Japan Fair Trade Commission's announcement regarding certain car carrier shipping trades,?MOL developed measures to enhance our compliance structure(March).
Group-wide business expansion
* Wholly owned subsidiary Daibiru concluded a contract to acquire an office building in Hanoi, its second property in Vietnam. (July)
* Two group companies merged into MOL Marine Co, Ltd., which continues to develop marine consulting, cable ship, and marine technology training businesses. (October)
* MOL Ferry Co., Ltd. announced plans to replace current vessels with two newbuilding energy-saving/high-speed ferries serving the Hokkaido route. (October)