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MOL-operated Containership Rescues 116 Shipwreck Survivors off Papua New Guinea, 3rd February 2012

News Release Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (Head Office) February 3, 2012
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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal
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lang=EN-US>Tokyo, 3 February 2012</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US> &#8212;Mitsui O.S.K. Lines,
Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) today announced that the MOL-operated
containership <I>MOL Summer</I> rescued 116 survivors from the ferry <I>Rabaul
Queen,</I> which sank about 17 km east of Papua New Guinea.</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=left><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
lang=EN-US></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=left><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
lang=EN-US>According to local reports, the <I>Rabaul Queen </I>with about 350
passengers aboard was under way from the port of Kimbe on New Britain Island to
Lae in Papua New Guinea.</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=left><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
lang=EN-US></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=left><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>On the
morning of Thursday, February 2, the <I>Rabaul Queen</I> sank near Fischhafen,
shortly after transmitting a distress signal, according to the Australian
Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). </SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=a align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>The <I>MOL
Summer, </I>under way from Hong Kong to Brisbane, was dispatched by AMSA to
serve as on-scene coordinator for&nbsp;the rescue operation, and pulled 116
survivors from the water, transferring them to AMSA at Lae early on Friday
(JST). </SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=a align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=a align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Meanwhile, eight other merchant
vessels near the scene helped with rescue activities at the request of AMSA. In
all, five vessels, including the <I>MOL Summer, </I>rescued a total of 246
people. </SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=a align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=a align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">MOL hopes the remaining passengers
and crew from the <I>Rabaul Queen </I>will be swiftly rescued and brought to
safety.</P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=left><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
lang=EN-US></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=left><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>[Profile
of MOL Summer]</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 10.5pt" class=MsoNormal
align=left><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>Gross
tonnage: 38,332 dwt/Length: 246.8m/Seafarers: 27
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