日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Jul 16, 2026 (Thu)

MOL Energia launched its commercial management business

Miki Ogura, Managing Director of MOL Energia

　MOL Energia, MOL’s Singapore-based subsidiary, is working to develop demand for energy transportati ・・・ 続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80MOL+Energia%2C+MOL%E2%80%99s+Singapore-based+subsidiary%2C+is+working+to+develop+demand+for+energy+transportation+at+the+forefront+of+the+Asian+market+and+is+expanding+its+business+scope+to+include+crude+oil+tankers%2C+product+carriers%2C+LPG+%28liquefied+petroleum+gas%29+carriers%2C+LNG+%28liquefied+natural+gas%29+carriers%2C+and+ethane+carriers.+We+spoke+with+Managing+Director+%28MD%29+Miki+Ogura%2C+who+has+been+at+the+helm+of+the+company+since+2024%2C+about+its+current+business+developments.+%3Cbr%3E%28Interviewer%3A+Azumi+Kashiwai%29+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+do+you+assess+the+past+year%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CFrom+a+commercial+perspective%2C+it+was+a+year+in+which+we+were+able+to+expand+our+business+across+all+vessel+types.+In+particular%2C+this+included+newbuilding+programs+and+contract+acquisitions+for+VLGCs+%28Very+Large+LPG+Carriers%29+and+LNG+dual-fuel+VLCCs+%28Very+Large+Crude+Carriers%29.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CGiven+the+global+trend+away+from+fossil+fuels%2C+it+is+difficult+to+make+decisions+regarding+tanker+fleet+development%2C+but+we+pursued+measures+to+expand+our+fleet%2C+particularly+product+carriers%2C+by+chartering+vessels+from+the+market.+Charter+periods+range+from+two+to+three+years%2C+with+the+longest+being+about+five+years.+We+were+also+able+to+secure+a+certain+amount+of+capacity+for+VLGCs+and+VLCCs+before+market+rates+rose.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9COur+current+fleet+consists+of+approximately+70+vessels.+The+breakdown%2C+including+pool+vessels%2C+comprises+32+VLGCs%2C+approximately+20+product+carriers%2C+13+LNG+carriers+and+ethane+carriers%2C+and+about+six+LPG+carriers+chartered+in+on+a+time-charter+basis.+We+intend+to+continue+expanding+the+fleet+while+monitoring+the+market.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIt+was+a+positive+year+for+LNG+carriers%2C+with+several+newbuilds+delivered+and+the+commencement+of+long-term+contracts+beginning+to+contribute+to+earnings.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+also+began+commercial+management+as+part+of+our+new+businesses.+This+is+a+form+of+operational+management+entrusted+to+us%2C+in+which+we+mainly+take+ships+from+Japanese+shipowners%2C+arrange+cargoes+for+them%2C+and+operate+them.+This+approach+of+partnering+with+others+is+important%2C+as+there+are+limits+to+how+quickly+we+can+expand+our+fleet+on+our+own.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Careful+consideration+of+post-procurement+operations+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--Under+Phase+2+of+the+group+management+plan+BLUE+ACTION+2035%2C+the+Energy+Business+Headquarters%2C+to+which+MOL+Energia+belongs%2C+has+adopted+a+virtuous+cycle+of+%E2%80%9Cstable+profit+growth%E2%80%9C+and+%E2%80%9Cdisciplined+risk-taking%E2%80%9C+as+its+theme.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+also+thoroughly+manage+our+contract+portfolio+and+pursue+an+optimal+balance+between+businesses+that+secure+stable+profits+and+spot+businesses+aimed+at+expanding+earnings.+It+was+a+year+of+careful+deliberation+on+how+to+operate+ships+after+procuring+them%2C+while+taking+market+and+customer+needs+into+account.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CFrom+the+perspective+of+disciplined+risk-taking%2C+we+emphasize+portfolio+diversification+and+avoid+dependence+on+specific+regions+or+customers.+The+direct+impact+on+our+company+from+USTR+%28United+States+Trade+Representative%29+regulations+was+minimal.+There+is+an+optimistic+view+that+the+United+States+and+China%2C+which+have+an+interdependent+relationship%2C+will+not+come+into+extreme+conflict+in+the+future%2C+but+we+still+want+to+reduce+risk.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWhile+closely+monitoring+the+latest+global+developments+and+regulations%2C+we+will+continue+to+build+relationships+with+a+wide+variety+of+customers%2C+including+trading+companies%2C+oil+distributors%2C+and+suppliers%2C+not+only+in+the+Middle+East+and+China+but+also+in+Southeast+and+South+Asia+and+Europe.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CRegarding+deployment+contracts%2C+we+use+product+carriers+on+a+case-by-case+basis%2C+including+locking+in+earnings+through+TC-out+%28time+charters%29+and+placing+them+in+pools.+Many+VLCCs+are+on+medium-+to+long-term+time+charters%2C+and+overseas+customers+are+also+showing+a+positive+attitude+toward+contracts+of+around+two+to+three+years.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CBasically%2C+we+are+not+pessimistic+about+the+market+for+either+gas+carriers+or+tankers.+Although+vessel+supply+is+ample%2C+demand+is+also+strong%2C+and+the+surrounding+environment+is+favorable.+Even+if+the+situation+in+the+Middle+East+calms+down%2C+customers+will+remain+conscious+of+the+need+to+diversify+risk%2C+thinking+that+%E2%80%99it+could+happen+again.%E2%80%99+As+a+result%2C+energy+procurement+sources+will+diversify%2C+and+ton-miles+will+continue+to+increase.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Strengthening+risk+assessment+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+do+you+view+risk+management+amid+heightened+geopolitical+tensions%2C+including+the+closure+of+the+Strait+of+Hormuz%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+the+latest+conflict+in+the+Middle+East%2C+we+gave+serious+thought+above+all+to+how+to+continue+transporting+cargo%2C+which+is+the+mission+of+shipping+companies.+This+applies+across+the+entire+Group%2C+but+in+risk+assessments%2C+in+addition+to+internal+discussions%2C+we+are+leveraging+AI+%28artificial+intelligence%29+and+external+expertise+to+further+strengthen+our+risk+assessment+framework.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CFor+example%2C+sales+representatives+may+want+to+do+everything+they+can+to+meet+customer+requests.+I+have+come+to+realize+the+importance+of+taking+a+broad+view%2C+properly+assessing+the+risks%2C+and+deciding+whether+or+not+to+take+on+the+business.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+have+trade+patterns+changed+as+a+result+of+the+Hormuz+blockade%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CMany+ships+are+heading+to+the+Gulf+of+Mexico+to+load+cargo%2C+and+if+congestion+around+the+United+States+worsens+as+a+result%2C+it+could+lead+to+a+surge+in+market+prices+like+that+seen+during+the+coronavirus+pandemic.+On+the+other+hand%2C+if+the+Hormuz+blockade+is+prolonged%2C+the+economy+stagnates%2C+and+logistics+as+a+whole+are+disrupted%2C+market+prices+could+also+fall.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CCanada%E2%80%99s+west+coast+will+likely+become+increasingly+popular+as+a+source+of+supplies+such+as+LPG+%28liquefied+petroleum+gas%29.+With+a+low+risk+of+becoming+embroiled+in+conflict+and+no+need+to+transit+the+Panama+Canal%2C+its+importance+as+a+stable+source+of+supply+for+Asia+will+increase.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Finalizing+internal+rules+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+have+you+pursued+human+resource+development+and+the+ideal+form+of+the+local+organization+in+Singapore%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9COver+the+past+year%2C+I+have+also+made+difficult+decisions+as+the+company%E2%80%99s+leader.+While+significantly+improving+the+treatment+of+staff+members+who+make+major+contributions%2C+we+have+encouraged+staff+members+whose+performance+falls+short+of+expectations+to+improve.+When+they+struggled+to+improve%2C+we+have+also+reassigned+them+to+positions+better+suited+to+their+abilities.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+have+almost+reached+the+final+stage+of+establishing+internal+rules.+We+have+clearly+codified+rules+for+matters+that+had+previously+been+ambiguous%2C+adapted+matters+that+had+merely+followed+Tokyo+headquarters+to+local+circumstances%2C+and+established+rules+to+ensure+that+there+is+no+unfairness+between+Japanese+expatriates+and+national+staff+members.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CAs+a+major+theme%2C+we+are+working+to+foster+in+all+employees+an+awareness+of+%E2%80%99how+they+can+contribute+to+improving+the+company+as+a+whole.%E2%80%99+Singapore+has+a+high+degree+of+job+mobility%2C+and+some+employees+tend+not+to+share+work-related+information+in+an+effort+to+protect+their+positions.+At+MOL+Energia%2C+we+are+trying+to+eliminate+this+culture+of+creating+black+boxes+and+foster+a+culture+of+%E2%80%99teaching+one+another+thoroughly+because+we+want+people+to+work+here+as+long+as+possible.%E2%80%99%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Miki+Ogura+graduated+from+Sophia+University%E2%80%99s+Faculty+of+Foreign+Studies%2C+majoring+in+Russian%2C+in+1992+and+joined+Mitsui+O.S.K.+Lines+%28now+MOL%29.+After+working+on+the+tramper+team%2C+product+tanker+team%2C+and+insurance+team%2C+he+left+the+company+in+2007.+He+became+general+manager+of+Phoenix+Tankers+%28now+MOL+Energia%29+in+2021+and+has+held+his+current+position+since+2024.+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDisclaimer%3A+The+English+translations+provided+through+this+service+are+the+result+of+translations+made+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+or+automatically+and+mechanically+translated+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+using+an+automated+translation+system+provided+by+a+third+party+after+certain+processing+of+the+Japanese+content+licensed+by+the+third+party.+In+terms+of+the+English+translation%2C+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+and+MarineNet+Co.%2C+Ltd.+make+no+warranty+or+burden+of+any+kind%2C+express+or+implied%2C+including+its+accuracy%2C+reliability%2C+validity+or+fitness+for+a+particular+purpose.+MarineNet+Users+should+fully+understand+that+this+service+uses+an+automated+translation+system+that+automatically+and+mechanically+recognizes+and+analyzes+information+and+produces+results.+The+users+should+understand+the+above+conditions+before+using+this+service.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E5%85%8D%E8%B2%AC%E4%BA%8B%E9%A0%85%EF%BC%9A%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E4%BB%8B%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%BD%9C%E6%88%90%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B%E3%80%81%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%B1%E8%AB%BE%E3%82%92%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E3%81%9F%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%83%84%E3%82%92%E3%80%81%E6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【インタビュー　星港エネルギー輸送事業】MOLエナージア　マネジングディレクター・小倉美樹氏、顧客多様化 リスク分散

2026/07/16(木)

日本海事新聞 JMD

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