MOL launches information platform ‘Lighthouse’ for dry bulk ship customers

January 21, 2020: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines’ (MOL) president & CEO Junichiro Ikeda announced it has started operation of a new information platform called ‘Lighthouse’, aimed at dry bulk ship customers.

The platform is a service that allows those involved in the transport process, such as shippers and vessel operators, to safely, unitarily, and in real-time, share and monitor various kinds of information related to ocean transport, such as vessel schedules, weather, ocean conditions, as well as data related to cargoes and contracts, on a customised basis for each customer. By establishing this system, MOL aims to help its customers enhance their supply chain management through measures such as optimisation of ship allocation and more effective management of inventory, including offshore inventory.

With the objective of creating a user-friendly platform, MOL relied on input from customer interviews and took their opinions and requests into consideration in the development of Lighthouse. The company plans to expand the platform, which offers a range of benefits for customers, by continually improving its services and enhancing its functions through continual upgrades.

The company chose the name ‘Lighthouse’ to reflect the idea of focusing a spotlight on ocean transport, which many customers find to be difficult and complex, and make it easier for them to visualise information about the various aspects of shipping.