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Coal Carrier Shinryo Maru Completed for Okinawa Electric Power Co.

August 20, 2003

Shinryo Maru, the first coal carrier built for The Okinawa Electric Power Company, Inc., was completed today at Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. The building of the ship followed a joint study between our company and the Okinawan firm on the introduction of a 90,000-DWT-class bulker of great width and shallow draft for the transport of coal for power generation from abroad.

The electric power company has been importing steaming coal for power generation for over 11 years. In May this year, it put into operation the No.2 generator at its Kin Thermal Power Station in Okinawa, which is expected to boost the company's annual coal consumption to more than 1.5 million tons. It was with a view to reducing transport costs and ensuring the stable carriage of coal for its power plants that the Okinawan firm decided to introduce a coal carrier to be operated by our company.

The newly completed coal carrier is intended not only to achieve high economic efficiency, but also to help protect the beautiful marine environment of Okinawa. Consequently, paints used for coating the ship's bottom do not contain tin and other harmful substances, and the vessel is specially equipped to dispose of waste water containing coal dust. Moreover, the new vessel has superior steering and speed control even when compared to smaller general-type Panamax vessels. Thus, scrupulous attention has been paid to ensuring both environmental protection and safe navigation.

The Okinawa Electric Power Company, Inc. is pushing ahead with its Environmental Action Plan that pays close heed to the marine environment, while our company has formulated the Global Environment Charter that aims to reduce the unfavorable effects on the marine environment of vessels under our control. The newly completed coal carrier Shinryo Maru conforms to these policies.

The word "shinryo" in the name of the new coal carrier means a connecting bridge. This name derives from the inscription on what is commonly known as the "Bankoku Shinryo no Kane" (Bell of the Bridge Connecting All Nations), which was cast during the ancient Ryukyuan Dynasty that ruled what are now the Okinawan islands. The inscription describes the prosperity of those days which was achieved through international commerce.