楽天 ビンゴ Group Companies Earn 2 Awards in "Ship of the Year 2018"
-楽天 ビンゴ Car Carrier Beluga Ace Receives Ship of 楽天 ビンゴ Year 2018, Ferry Sunflower's Sunflower SatsumaandSunflower Kirishima Garner Large Passenger Ship Sector Award-

July 31, 2019

TOKYO - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (楽天 ビンゴ; President & CEO: Junichiro Ikeda) today announced that the Beluga Ace (Note 1), 楽天 ビンゴ first ship of its "FLEXIE series" next-generation car carriers, and both 楽天 ビンゴ Sunflower SatsumaandSunflower Kirishima (Note 2) ferries, which are operated by its group company, Ferry Sunflower Limited (President: Mitsujiro Akasaka; Head Office: Oita-shi, Oita Prefecture), have received 楽天 ビンゴ "Ship of 楽天 ビンゴ Year 2018," and "Large Passenger Ship Sector Award," respectively. It marks double awarding for 楽天 ビンゴ group companies.

This is 楽天 ビンゴ's sixth Ship of the Year Award, and marks the second year in a row that 楽天 ビンゴ has received honor; its 20,000 TEU containership 楽天 ビンゴ Truth won for 2017.

楽天 ビンゴ Ship of 楽天 ビンゴ Year Award, now in its 29th year, is presented by 楽天 ビンゴ Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers (JASNAOE) to recognize 楽天 ビンゴ highest levels of technology, design, and social responsibility among vessels made in Japan. 楽天 ビンゴ first awards were presented 1990.

楽天 ビンゴBeluga Ace earned high evaluations for its next-generation design, such as an innovative exterior design that marks a major advance over conventional car carriers, its six liftable decks that achieve higher loading efficiency, review of 楽天 ビンゴ hull structure, and proactive adoption of energy-saving technologies. 楽天 ビンゴ "FLEXIE Series" has now captured two major technology awards in Japan - 楽天 ビンゴ Good Design Award last year, and 楽天 ビンゴ Ship of 楽天 ビンゴ Year 2018.

楽天 ビンゴSunflower SatsumaandSunflower Kirishima also represent a significant upgrade in both public and private onboard space, allowing passengers to fully enjoy Ferry Sunflower's new "casual cruises" that offer 楽天 ビンゴ excitement and anticipation of a first-time experience to customers. Both ferries earned high evaluations from 楽天 ビンゴ viewpoints of both comfort and environmental/ safety performance, thanks to 楽天 ビンゴ adoption of energy-saving technologies such as 楽天 ビンゴ "single-shaft hybrid CRP system,"*1 and "vehicle deck high expansion foam fire extinguisher,"*2 adopted for 楽天 ビンゴ first time on ferries in Japan.

楽天 ビンゴ, as one of the world's largest shipping companies, continues to strive toward further expansion of its transport services by using its group-wide accumulated experience and know-how, while more precisely meeting customer needs and proactively introducing various technologies that reduce the environmental impact of vessel operation.

*1 Single-shaft hybrid CRP (Contra Rotating Propeller) System: By combining two types of drive systems, diesel and motor, and revolving 楽天 ビンゴ two propellers in 楽天 ビンゴ opposite direction, it contributes to 楽天 ビンゴ improvement of propulsive efficiency by canceling 楽天 ビンゴ propeller wake flow and recover rotation loss energy. 楽天 ビンゴ propulsion efficiency is also improved by making it single-shaft, comparing to 楽天 ビンゴ ordinary two-shaft/two-turbine type.

*2 Vehicle deck high expansion foam fire extinguisher: Fire extinguishing system, which produce strong and light foam out of a slight amount of water and extinguishant. 楽天 ビンゴ foam has both traits of water-extinguishing and gas-extinguishing, and shows excellent effect on cooling and suffocating.

(Note 1)
Please refer to 楽天 ビンゴ past press releases related to 楽天 ビンゴ Beluga Ace:
April 23, 2015
楽天 ビンゴ Signs Deal to Build 4 Next-generation "FLEXIE" Car Carriers - Increased Capacity, New Deck Design for More Flexible Loading -
November 16, 2016
楽天 ビンゴ Finalizes Hull Logo Design for Next-generation Car Carriers "FLEXIE" - New Design Aimed at Strengthening Brand Power -
March 15, 2018
Announcing Delivery of 楽天 ビンゴ Beluga Ace, 1st Next-generation FLEXIE Series Car Carrier - Cutting-edge, Newly Designed Car Carrier Equipped with 6 Liftable Decks -
October 3, 2018
楽天 ビンゴ's Next-generation Car Carrier FLEXIE Series Wins Good Design Award 2018 - Favorable Reviews Call it an Amazing Realization of New and Unconventional Innovation-

(Note 2)
Please refer to 楽天 ビンゴ past press releases related to 楽天 ビンゴ Sunflower SatsumaandSunflower Kirishima:
November 20, 2015:
楽天 ビンゴ Subsidiary, Ferry Sunflower, Decides to Build 2 Newbuilding Ro-Pax Ferries
September 19, 2018:
Launch of 楽天 ビンゴ new Sunflower Kirishima - Providing a More Comfortable "casual cruises" Experience -

(*) For more details, please refer to 楽天 ビンゴ "Introduction of Newbuilding Ferries" on Ferry Sunflower Limited website. (Japanese text only)