MOL Plans Cruise Expansion, Newbuilds
With the purchase of the Seabourn Odyssey, MOL Group, which operates Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. in the domestic Japanese market, plans to operate two ships in 2024, it said in a press release. Sales terms were not disclosed.
The Seabourn Odyssey will be renamed and sail alongside the Nippon Maru, according to the company, which has hired a new Senior Executive Advisor in Anthony Kaufman, who has extensive knowledge and expertise in the cruise ship business, having held key positions with Carnival, Holland America Group and Princess Cruises, where he played a major role in the development of the inbound and outbound markets in Japan.
In a press statement, MOL Group said it “positions the cruise ship business as a new growth area,” and plans to build an additional two new 600-guest ships.
The Seabourn Odyssey will join the fleet in 2024 after a refurbishment, the company said. A new name for the ship will be announced this summer, along with other details.
“By increasing the number of cruise ships operated by MOPAS to two, they will be able to significantly increase the number of departures and arrivals in various parts of Japan and globally, and will be able to provide a wider variety of itineraries and experiences that meet our customer’s needs,” the company said in a statement.
In the near term, MOL will open a “Wellbeing & Lifestyle Business” brand as well as a new “Cruise Business Innovation Project Unit.”
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