Set-up of New Containership Service Organization

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (hereafter called “K” LINE) has decided to set up a new organization named “Asia Operation Center” (abbreviation: AOC) in Singapore.

AOC will be set up as a business division within “K” Line Pte Ltd (KLPL: Managing Director Juro Shiga) in Singapore, a 100%-owned subsidiary of “K” LINE, and below-mentioned jobs shall be entrusted under operation agreement between “K” LINE and KLPL.

Stowage planning for outbound legs from Asia and Japan ports in the East-West services such as Trans-Pacific, Asia-North Europe, Asia-Mediterranean, Ships operation including space control in the Asia and Japan area, Inventory control of container equipment, and Cost control of variable expenditures in Asian countries including Japan.

The service will be scheduled of setting-up in April 1, 2002, with the all jobs to commence since July 1, 2002.

KLPL has already assumed the principal functions for the containership services in Inter-Asia, Asia- Africa and Asia-Latin America, while above-mentioned jobs have been currently carried out by 3 offices, “K” LINE Tokyo, Richmond U.S.A. and London U.K., as the part of those respective offices’ functions. We are aiming to make the entire operation management more efficient by unifying and transferring those jobs to KLPL as the pivotal office in the Asia and Japan area. In addition, this scheme is expected to reinforce staff training on a global basis by utilizing Japanese staffs from “K” LINE Tokyo and foreign staffs from overseas offices.