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Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL) has announced that it has voluntarily enrolled two of its vessels, the MOL Endowment and MOL Experience, in the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Ocean Going Vessel Low Sulphur Fuel Program.

MOL is one of the first ocean carriers to enrol in the low sulphur fuel program, and is the first of the Japanese carriers to do so.

The program provides incentives to operators of ocean vessels to utilize low-sulphur fuel in their main propulsion and auxiliary engines instead of 380-centistoke (cst) intermediate fuel oil.

Switching to low-sulphur fuels reduces emissions of fine particles as well as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and nitrous oxide and contributes to the improvement of the environment.

Although MOL will incur an incremental cost as a result of using the more expensive low sulphur marine fuel instead of 380-cst, the company determined that the program was worth the investment.

"MOL saw the program as an opportunity to maintain our commitment as a responsible corporate citizen and to increase efforts in implementing our environmental policy," said Toshiya Konishi, Chief Operating Officer, MOL Liner.

"MOL is committed to protecting the health of our marine/global environment and we seek to reduce the burden on the environment by setting and achieving tough voluntary environmental standards. We offer our thanks to the port authority for establishing the low sulphur fuel program," added Konishi.

For further information about MOL's environmental policies, please see the carrier's CSR/environment website at www.mol.co.jp/csr-e.

For further information about the low sulphur fuel program, please see the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey website at www.cleanfuelincentive.org.