KotugSmit, MOL Team up for Smart Operations

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (container, tanker, dry-bulk and car carrier divisions) and KOTUG SMIT TOWAGE (KotugSmit) signed long term towage agreements, effective early 2017.

The two have agreed upon a long term towage contract for the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Ghent, Terneuzen, Flushing, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, London and Southampton. With this strategic partnership, both organizations aim to boost operational performances by benefiting from smart collaboration and sharing operational knowledge and valuable information.

Masao Fukushima, Chief Executive Representative, Europe and Africa of MOL, said, “This partnership embodies many years of mutual trust and shared values in terms of loyalty, commitment and goodwill. The strong relationship between both our organizations at all levels, from global headquarters, across different divisions to the operational levels in local ports, resulted in a good dialogue about optimization of operational performance and efficiency.”

KotugSmit’s CEO, René Raaijmakers, commented, “This partnership with MOL underlines our principle, believing that harbor towage is about professional cooperation between all people involved. We also express our commitment to follow our customers’ business. To move forward and deliver on our promise of meeting and even exceeding our customers’ expectations, we challenge ourselves every day, encouraging further expansion and cooperation in European ports.”