Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. announced that the naming ceremony for a newbuilding LNG carrier for Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. was held at the Nagasaki Shipyard of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. The vessel was ordered by MOL and Osaka Gas International Transport, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Osaka Gas, and built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Guests from MOL, Osaka Gas, MHI, and other organizations were on hand as Osaka Gas President Takehiro Honjo named the vessel the LNG Mars, and his wife cut the rope. The vessel is co-owned by MOL and Osaka Gas International Transport, and will serve a wide variety of projects including Osaka Gas' Gorgon Project.

Aiming toward its goal of "solid growth through innovative changes" set forth in the midterm management plan STEER FOR 2020, MOL continues to offer value-added services - backed by the experience, know-how, and network accumulated as the world leader in LNG carrier ownership and management - to customers including electric power and gas utilities in Japan.