“ K” Line launches New Asia/Southeast Australia Service

January 5, 2006  - Tokyo, Japan. Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) will launch a new joint Asia Southeast Australia Services in February 2006 together with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and Cosco Container Lines Co., Ltd. (COSCON)

The companies, along with Royal P&O Nedlloyd N.V. (P&O Nedlloyd), currently serve this trade through a joint service that will be dissolved this coming February. The 2 new vessels out of a total of 5 having 2400TEU capacity operated j ointly by “K” Line, MOL, and NYK will be deployed in Asia/Southeast Australia weekly service. Total 5 vessels of 1700TEU capacity operated by COSCON will be deployed in China/Southeast Australia weekly service.

The new joint services are intended to call following ports:

Asia/Southeast Australia (ESACO Loop 2)

Yokohama – Nagoya – Osaka – Pusan – Shanghai – Nansha – Shekou –
Hong Kong – Melbourne – Sydney – Brisbane – Yokohama

China/Southeast Australia (ESACO Loop 1)

Xiamen – Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Sydney –
Melbourne – Brisbane – Hong Kong – Xiamen

The new Asia Southeast Australia services will provide higher quality dependability assuring customers of greater satisfaction through the above new port rotation, including the strengthening of cost competitiveness.

For further information, please contact:

Kawasaki, Kisen, Kaisha, Ltd.
Takafumi Kido
Manager, Planning Team, Containership Business Group
TEL: 81-3-3595-5309 FAX: 81-3-3595-5288