ONE and University of Tokyo launch ‘Container Management Science’ programme

News

ONE and the University of Tokyo join forces on a three-year social cooperation programme to address key industry challenges.

Ocean Network Express (ONE) is launching a Social Cooperation Programme, “Container Management Science” in collaboration with the School of Engineering at The University of Tokyo, commencing April 2024.

The partnership aims to enhance collaboration between industry and academia while integrating knowledge across diverse academic fields.

The three-year programme will address some of the key challenges the container shipping industry is facing, including the development of a resilient supply chain, improving and enhancing the operation of vessels and container equipment, decarbonisation and development of the next generation of talent.

The programme will bring together experts from various academic fields, with the aim of fostering long-term, industry-academia collaborations to develop sustainable and future-oriented container shipping.

“By participating in this programme, ONE will be able to realise sustainable container transportation by advancing innovation in response to increasingly complex challenges including the economics of container shipping (operational and management optimisation), resilience (risk management, BCP), and decarbonisation,” ONE said.

“Furthermore, ONE is dedicated to cultivating and producing global human resources capable of understanding and evaluating highly socially demanded technologies related to the container shipping industry and integrating them into business operations.”

The container shipping industry is known for its volatility due to its cyclical nature, which can yield high returns during peak periods but also experiences significant downturns.

Specifically, ONE posted a 94% profit drop in the fiscal year 2023, covering the period from April 2023 to March 2024. The net profit stood at US$974 million, indicating a year-on-year decline of US$14.02 billion.

This significant decline comes amidst a challenging landscape characterised by dynamic market forces and geopolitical uncertainties.

It should be taken into account that the decrease is in line with market normalisation following record profits for container shipping lines during the pandemic period.