MOL Eyes Deeper India Footprint in Energy, Auto, and Maritime Sectors

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), which operates the world's second-largest fleet, is setting its sights firmly on India as a strategic growth market. The company has outlined plans to expand across multiple verticals in the country, including energy transportation, automobile exports, logistics, and maritime manpower — with a particular emphasis on recruiting more Indian seafarers.

"India is attractive for us," said Jotaro Tamura, President and CEO of MOL, in an exclusive interview with Mint. Tamura was speaking during his first visit to India since taking charge earlier this year. "In our updated business plan, India is one of the priority targets."

The expansion is anchored in MOL's long-term corporate growth strategy, known internally as "Blue Action," which charts the company's trajectory through 2035. Tamura confirmed that India has been elevated to a position of strategic importance within this framework, especially during the 2026–30 phase, when MOL intends to accelerate its footprint across key geographies it has identified as high-potential markets.

India's inclusion as a priority destination reflects broader global shifts in trade and logistics. As multinational companies reconfigure their supply chains in response to geopolitical uncertainty and the ongoing diversification away from single-country dependencies, India has emerged as a compelling alternative hub. For MOL, the opportunity spans the full spectrum of maritime and logistics services — from transporting crude oil and LNG to supporting India's growing automobile export industry, which has seen a significant uptick in recent years.

The maritime manpower angle is equally significant.

India is already one of the world's largest suppliers of merchant navy officers and crew, and MOL's stated intention to hire more Indian seafarers aligns with both the country's workforce strengths and the company's own operational needs as it scales globally.

Tamura also addressed the elephant in the room: the ongoing geopolitical turbulence in West Asia, which has thrown global shipping into a prolonged period of disruption. Attacks on vessels in and around the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have forced many shipping companies to reroute their fleets around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant time and fuel costs to journeys between Asia and Europe. For a company the size of MOL, the operational and financial implications of these disruptions are considerable.

"Our immediate priority remains the safety of vessels and seafarers operating around the Gulf region," Tamura stated, signaling that despite the ambitious growth agenda, crew welfare and vessel security are non-negotiable concerns for the company's leadership.

MOL's India push comes at a time when the country is actively courting foreign investment in its ports, logistics corridors, and maritime infrastructure. Government initiatives such as the Sagarmala Programme and the development of dedicated freight corridors are steadily improving the country's logistics backbone, making it an increasingly attractive destination for global shipping and logistics players looking to establish or deepen local operations.

With a fleet that spans bulk carriers, tankers, car carriers, LNG vessels, and containerships, MOL brings a diversified portfolio that maps well onto India's import and export needs. The country's energy import requirements alone — covering crude oil, coal, and increasingly LNG — represent a substantial and growing business opportunity for a company with MOL's capabilities.

As India continues its ascent as a global trade and manufacturing hub, strategic partnerships and expanded operations from companies like MOL could play a meaningful role in strengthening the country's maritime and logistics ecosystem for the decade ahead.