Features of "K"LINE Services

Our services are created and provided with hardware-& software-assets. Self-evidently, a major part of hardware assets we can mobilize for customers is a large-number fleet of updated and specialized carriers. The software assets are knowledge-rich and information-minded human resources working on "K" LINE’s global service network. Our services are the most substantial and trustworthy because harmonization is best achieved in between through the combination of two types of assets. In terms of the features of our vehicular transport service, we would like to stress three points; safety in navigation and emphasis on damage prevention, technological sophistication of entire fleet for transportation of various types of vehicles in worldwide automobile markets and time-sensitive service. a. Safety in navigation and emphasis damage prevention Confidently, we would like to assure you that our services are at a top level in terms of security or safety. To provide secure and safe services to customers, much importance is being given to thoroughly educating and training all people concerned as well as crewmembers on the frontline. All crews are required to be disciplined in "K" LINE’s self-managed training centers. Basically, they are trained to be team workers beyond individuality and nationality in pursuit of safety. Furthermore, we make it a rule to hold briefings prior to working on board and OJT (on the job training) is also carried out. We are fully aware of how delicate and important customer’s cargo is. To prevent cargo damage, both in transit and during loading and discharging, we developed the Damage-Free Program, a simple, effective and universally applicable system of damage-preventive cargo handling procedures. In this program, the "Stowage Planning System" is a simple yet revolutionary method of stowing vehicles that has greatly reduced cargo damage. It can be said with sureness that on the average, our company has the lowest damage ratio in shipping company, which we will take every possible measure for even further improvement. "K" LINE’s cargo handling standards are compiled in its Damage-Free Handbook, which is distributed to all crewmembers and stevedores. In the meantime, with a view to global necessity for preservation of the earth's environment, we have put our entire fleet in operation strictly under the ISM-code-ruled ship management and also enforce strict internal standards for preventing marine pollution that comply with all countries’ regulations. Our principle is "Total caution all along the way." b. Advanced and sophisticated fleet standing ready to meet the changing automobile market needs We are required to transport a various types of vehicles such as so-called RVs, SUVs, buses/trucks, specialized cars for construction work and even not-self-driven ones as well as usual passenger cars. RVs and commercial cars are higher in height than passenger cars. The most efficient use of available space leads to the economic use of marine transport and the best meet the varying needs of customers. Given the differences in height which we had to solve technically, we arrived at the simple but ingenious conclusion that there would be a need for two decks of different heights ,i.e., one deck being high enough for passenger cars/ RVs and another deck for commercial vehicles, etc. The optimal proportionate ratio of allocation between two different decks is the most important key factor for the economics, which depends on our own insights into cargo market trends. We firmly believe that our concept is right and practical in the best interest of our customers. In the process, we designed a new state-of-the-art RV carriers, and since then, the ships of this type make it possible to accommodate RVs and SUVs in addition to passenger cars and commercial vehicles. At the same time, the weight capacity of the ship's ramp way was also increased to over 100 tons. Essentially, it is our professional mission to accept and transport all types of cars. Our policy is to be flexible and forward-looking in defining a vehicle that will have to be transported for better and richer livelihood around the globe. c. Time-sensitive service "K" LINE has achieved an excellent reputation for punctual service and is an asset we do our utmost to maintain. For example, we continually collect data from vessels at sea to plan operations and in order to assign a suitable vessel to a particular trade; we have operation teams stationed throughout the world, ready to swiftly respond to potentially disruptive situations; and we employ a Weather Routing System to select routes with the most advantageous weather conditions. Such time-sensitive operations at all levels make it possible to help save much time and cost in the field of sea transportation to carry knockdown shipments to a production site and also to dispatch complete vehicles to global markets.