Japanese shipping firm MOL Group remains firm in its confidence in Filipino seafarers both in terms of business and ship operations, considering the Filipino workforce as their valued asset in its decades of operations in the country.

In a press conference on Thursday, MOL corporate communications director York Ishibe said that to date, about 65 percent or more than 6,000 fleet members of MOL are Filipinos being deployed by their long-time partner, Magsaysay Maritime Corporation.

However, with the decarbonization and all the new regulations in global shipping, including automated vessels being considered the future of the shipping industry, the MOL official said Filipino seafarers need to upskill and reskill.

Ishibe said MOL aims to contribute to the goals of the Philippines for a decarbonized society with the reduction of GHG emissions in the country.

Low-carbon plants considered

Also, he said MOL hopes to support low-carbon power plants with the transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and floating storage regasification units (FSRU), and also to provide the support needed by the renewable energy sector such as the support vessels needed by offshore wind power.

Moreover, MOL is making massive investments and efforts to reduce ocean vessel emissions during navigation, including investment in new-generation sails, and alternative fuels.

“We are applying dual-fuel engines on board, which requires us to burn LNG gas, which requires additional training. So, what we have in our training center back in Tokyo is that we actually invite our key engineers to Tokyo to do an upskill training as well, and we also have Filipino seafarers to join. So, there will be more and more skills required to operate these vessels. There’ll be more automated systems. However, we do need the seafarers to support the vessel,” he explained.

He also said that it is not true that seafarer services will no longer be needed once automated and unmanned vessels are launched on the seas in the next few decades.

“There’s more demand for automation engineers. If there are issues with the system. I still believe that in 2030 to 2040, we will still have the key seafarers on board. There are also discussions about unmanned vessels, but I think unmanned vessels will likely be impossible because there could be glitches. seafarers will be on board,” he stressed.

Ishibe said for this year, MOL is forecasted to be the world’s second-largest shipping company, owning 941 vessels.

As of January 2025, MOL owns 99 LNG vessels, serving more than 100 countries, and with a consolidated profit of 410 billion Japanese yen or P156.3 billion.

In addition to MOL-owned vessels, the company operates many chartered ships, making the total number of Filipino crew members over 20,000 people.

With its Blue Action 2035, MOL plans to have 80 Wind Challenger vessels, an eco-friendly vessel, and 130 dual-fueled vessels with zero emission vessels by 2035.

With the ongoing partnership with Magsaysay Shipping to produce more Filipino seafarers through MOL Magsaysay Maritime Academy Inc., Jesse Ho Maxwell said that on 18 February, about 280 deck and engine cadets will be graduating from the said institution.

The MOL and Magsaysay institution, situated in Salitran, Dasmarinas City, Cavite, was opened last August 2018.

Aside from that, MOL’s footprint in the country includes MOL Enterprise (Philippines).

Headquartered in Makati, MOL Enterprise Philippines is wholly owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, responsible for supervising activities of the MOL group in the Philippines, operating MOL global ships, including tracking fuel to reduce consumption, and developing new business in the country.