Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) reports that the MOL-operated containership MOL Express, which was chartered from an overseas shipowner, ran aground in shallow water in Tateyama Harbor, Chiba Prefecture at about 19:00 JST on January 11, 2015. The ship was to undergo repairs on its main engines and was maneuvering to an anchoring area within the harbor. As of 12:00 on January 12, the hull is in a stable condition, no crewmembers have been injured, and no oil leakage has been confirmed. Currently, in cooperation with the shipowner, MOL was working to refloat the vessel and restore it to its original condition. The 2003-built, Hong Kong-flagged 4,600-TEU containership is owned by an affiliate of Seaspan Corporation (Canada). The MOL Express can accommodate a crew of 25.
