Chapter 1580 You want me to salvage the cargo ship?
Why didn't he find it strange? The sinking of the Mitsui Lines ship is not news; the fact that the ship didn't sink is news!
People who don't understand the ocean generally have a misunderstanding about Japan.
In the eyes of ordinary people, countries like Denmark and Greece are the world's major shipping powers. For example, Denmark's "Maersk" has always been ranked first in the world's shipping.
But what is the reality? Japan's ocean shipping capacity can be said to be the best in the world!
When ordinary people calculate shipping capacity, they only consider the container sector. Maersk is undoubtedly the world's number one, but what makes the Japanese so powerful? While their fleet size isn't the largest, they hold the largest stakes in fleets worldwide. Even the largest companies in Daxia rely on Japanese shipping companies for their raw material transportation orders. They effectively control the world's largest shipping contracts and the largest profits.
Japan is currently the world's leading maritime transporter of crude oil and natural gas. Japanese tankers account for approximately 30% of the world's total tanker traffic annually through the Suez Canal, the Strait of Malacca, and the Panama Canal. Combined with their comprehensive transport capabilities for containers, bulk cargo, and specialized vessels, their scale far exceeds that of any other country in the world.
Let's talk about Mitsui OSK Lines, Ltd., one of the largest, most diversified and most powerful shipping companies in the world. In the world shipping company rankings, Mitsui OSK Lines is only ranked in the top ten, but in terms of natural gas transportation, they are the leader. One-fifth of the world's seaborne natural gas is transported by their company.
However, large companies are prone to problems. News reports of Mitsui OSK Lines ship accidents have become commonplace in recent years. The most notable incident involved the Wakashio, a ship that ran aground in Mauritius after its Indian captain exploited Wi-Fi. The oil spill from this ship is expected to take at least three to five hundred years to recover from.
Hmm? Xiao Peng finally realized that after this incident, Japan had reacted very quickly. Both the Wakashio's owner, Nagapu Steamship Co., Ltd., and the operator, Mitsui OSK Lines, Ltd., immediately apologized. Wasn't that bright-headed figure bowing in front of the camera that very same Akihiko Ono? Then they dispatched a six-member team to Mauritius to investigate the cause of the accident, and then...
No! They didn't make any amends.
So the Japanese apology is basically bullshit.
Even more interesting is that according to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage from Ships, Mitsui OSK Lines does not have to pay a single cent in compensation for this incident! Because according to the convention, damages are the responsibility of the shipowner, meaning that this accident only requires compensation from Nagafu Steamship Co., Ltd., and Mitsui OSK Lines has nothing to do with it. Nagafu Steamship Co., Ltd. stated that they would "sincerely respond to this request for compensation," but to this day, they have not paid a single cent.
Well, the Japanese apology is bullshit!
Poor Mauritius relies on tourism to make money, but now its precious bays and coral reefs are destroyed. Tourists go there to see the oil pollution?
Mitsui OSK Lines has done a lot of things like this. They always manage to make huge mistakes and then not take any responsibility.
It is understandable that they are not responsible for the "Wakashio" because the shipowner is not their company, but they have basically never taken responsibility when accidents happen to their own ships.
For example, in 2013, one of their container ships, the Comfort, broke in two in the Indian Ocean, sending 1,700 containers and 1,500 tons of fuel to the seabed. As a result, their company was slammed with numerous lawsuits from shippers and consignees worldwide.
The result? Not a penny lost!
The reason is that the "Comfort" had been carefully handled before sailing and was in seaworthy condition. It encountered bad weather during the voyage and broke into two parts. This was an "force majeure" and the shipping company was not responsible.
In the end, Mitsui & Co. sent a few people to bow a few times, and the matter was over...
I’ll say it three times because it’s important: the Japanese apology is bullshit!
However, Xiao Peng was also a little puzzled: for Mitsui & Co., Ltd., sinking ships was a common occurrence, so why was there so much attention this time? Could it be that Kevin Ishii was plotting something?
When has Mitsui & Co. ever been afraid of a shipwreck? Haven't they sunk enough ships? Don't they sink a few every year just for fun?
And as Ono Akihiko said, Mitsui Shipping Co., Ltd. is just a department within the Mitsui Group. The real Mitsui Group is a behemoth beyond imagination.
Many people say that Goryeo is a country controlled by chaebols. Samsung, Hyundai, LG, and SK are known as the four major chaebols in Goryeo. Isn’t it the same in Japan?
Before World War II, Japan's economy was basically controlled by four monopoly conglomerates, namely Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and Yasuda. After the end of World War II, Mitsui, Mitsubishi and Sumitomo recovered quickly, while Yasuda was inherited by the Fuji Group. Together with the Sanwa Group and Dai-ichi Kangyo Bank, they formed the current six major zaibatsu in Japan.
Now the economic lifeline of Japan is basically controlled by these six chaebols, including those famous Japanese companies, such as Toyota, Honda, Canon, Panasonic, Toshiba, etc. Basically all companies in Japan belong to these six conglomerates.
The Mitsui Group is the oldest brand among the six major chaebols, and its development began in 1673 when Mitsui Takatoshi founded "Mitsui Gofukya".
Indeed, they started out as a kimono manufacturer, which was another layer of meaning behind the kimono Ono Akihiko gave Xiao Peng. Companies like Toyota, Toshiba, Mitsukoshi Department Store, which is spread all over the world, and Mitsui OSK Lines, the world's leading shipping company, are all part of the Mitsui Group.
Would such a consortium care about a sunken ship? And would they pay such a huge price to have Xiao Peng help salvage it? This was completely unnatural.
Xiao Peng said, "Mr. Ono Akihiko, please forgive me for being blunt. Your company should be very familiar with handling shipwrecks. Why would you come to me about a shipwreck?"
Ishii Kevin told this to Ono Akira, who said with a bitter look, "The ship sank on a reef in Aomori. We want Mr. Xiao to bring your staff over to help us salvage the ship."
Xiao Peng suddenly realized that the gun was sinking right at his doorstep. No wonder they were so anxious!
"That's not right! Even if a ship sank right in front of your door, the Mitsui Group shouldn't be so capable of handling this matter, right?" Xiao Peng asked in confusion, "What kind of ship is it that you're so concerned about?"
"A bulk carrier used to transport timber." Kevin Ishii answered Xiao Peng's question.
Xiao Peng felt like he was having trouble hearing. "What did you say? A bulk carrier ran aground and you found me? You got the wrong guy, didn't you? You were looking for Titan, right? I really can't do this job."
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