Ocean Network Express and The University of Tokyo Partner to Establish Social Cooperation Program ”Container Management Science”

Tokyo, May 21, 2024 - Ocean Network Express (ONE) is pleased to announce the launch of a Social Cooperation Program, "Container Management Science" in collaboration with the School of Engineering at The University of Tokyo, commencing April 2024. This marks a significant step towards addressing the increasingly complex and diverse challenges facing the modern container shipping industry from a comprehensive and interdisciplinary perspective. The program will bring together experts from various academic fields, with the aim of fostering long-term, industry-academia collaborations to develop sustainable and future-oriented container shipping.

■ About Social Cooperation Programs
Social Cooperation Programs serve as a collaborative platform that enables private companies, research institutions, and universities to work together on common issues of public interest, leveraging their respective expertise and insights.

■ Background and ONE’s target
Around 80% of the world’s trade is carried by sea, with container shipping playing an important role in sustaining society as a vital infrastructure that supports people's daily lives and economic activities.

However, the container shipping industry faces many challenges that need to be addressed. Global supply chain disruptions due the COVID-19 pandemic and recent geopolitical developments have brought to light container shipping’s critical role and its inherent risks. Developing a resilient supply chain that can reliably support people's lives and corporate economic activities is a pressing issue, as well as improving and enhancing the operation of vessels and container equipment. It is also crucial to keep reducing the environmental impact of shipping while addressing ESG management principles, and to nurture the next generation of talent who will carry the maritime industry into the future.

To address these uncharted challenges and build a sustainable and resilient container shipping industry, ONE and The University of Tokyo have established this social cooperation program to enhance collaboration between industry and academia, while integrating knowledge across diverse academic fields as well.

By participating in this program, ONE will be able to realize sustainable container transportation by advancing innovation in response to increasingly complex challenges including the economics of container shipping (operational and management optimization), resilience (risk management, BCP), and decarbonization. Furthermore, ONE is dedicated to cultivating and producing global human resources capable of understanding and evaluating highly socially demanded technologies related to the container shipping industry and integrating them into business operations.

■ Overview of the Program
Name:        Container Management Science (COMS)
Duration:    1 April, 2024~31 March 2027 (3 years)
Place:         School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Instructor:   Kazuhiro Aoyama (Professor)
                   Tomoya Kawasaki (Associate Professor)
Website:     Under development for opening in July 2024

About Ocean Network Express (ONE)
Ocean Network Express (ONE) was incepted on July 7, 2017 following the liner service integrations of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” LINE), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK). The new entity functions from its global headquarter in Singapore, supported by regional headquarters in Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates. Operating more than 230 vessels, it offers an expeditious and a reliable international network of over 180 services to 120 countries and beyond. ONE is the world’s sixth largest container carrier with a fleet size of approximately 1.8 million TEU. ONE is a member of THE Alliance (THEA), a global ocean carrier consortium.
For more information, please visit www.one-line.com