History | NYK Line

1885~

Born of the merger of Mitsubishi Mail Steamship Company and Kyodo Unyu Kaisha, NYK resultantly expanded its business from the seas of Asia to the oceans of the world under a nibikiflag featuring two thick red lines on a white background to symbolize the union of the two companies from which NYK arose.

1885	Nibiki flag Former NYK building, Tokyo Japan Mitsubishi Mail Steamship Company and Kyodo Unyu Kaisha merged on September 29 to form Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK); new company inaugurated operations on October 1 with a fleet of 58 steamships.
1886	Liner service began between Nagasaki, Japan, and Tianjin, China.
1893	Japan's first long-distance liner service began on Bombay route.
1896	Tosa Maru London branch opened. Liner service began on European, Seattle, and Australian routes.
1911	Calcutta liner service began.
1914	Tokushima Maru Tokushima Maru became the first Japanese ship to pass through the newly completed Panama Canal.
1916	Liner service to New York via Panama Canal began.
1917	Liner service to east coast of South America began.
1920	New York branch opened.
1923	Nagasaki Maru Departure of Nagasaki Maru inaugurated Japan-China (Nagasaki-Shanghai) Rapid Express Service.
1926	Tatsuta Maru at San Francisco Acquired Dai-ni Toyo Kisen Kaisha, gaining routes to San Francisco and the west coast of South America.
1929	The NYK funnel mark Distinctive twin red stripes on white background became official funnel mark for NYK vessels.
1939	Acquired Kinkai Yusen Kaisha Ltd.
1942	Three NYK vessels - Asama Maru, Tatsuta Maru, and Kamakura Maru - provided transport for exchange of U.S., British, and Japanese diplomats.

1945~

During World War Ⅱ, NYK tragically lost its two key assets - ships and crew. Following the war and throughout a period of high economic growth, the company embarked on the development and use of specialized carriers to support Japan's economic growth.

1945	Only 37 vessels, totaling 155,469 gross tons, remained after World War ll. (185 vessels totaling 1,131,424 gross tons lost in the war)
1951-1957	Akagi Maru at New York Main liner services resumed.
1959	Tamba Maru Group's first crude oil tanker, Tamba Maru, launched.
1960	Group's first iron ore tanker, Tobata Maru, launched.
1961	Hikawa Maru Cargo-passenger ship, Hikawa Maru, moored in the port of Yokohama, where it is opened to the public.
1962	World's first large LPG carrier, Bridgestone Maru, launched.
1964	Kure Maru NYK and Mitsubishi Shipping Co. Ltd. merged to form a newly enlarged NYK Group. World's first wood-chip carrier, Kure Maru, launched.
1968	Hakone Maru Hakone Maru, Japan's first fully containerized ship, began service on new California route.
1969	Near seas and domestic coastal services transferred to Kinkai Yusen Kaisha Ltd. Container service to Australia began. Group's first car/bulk carrier, Toyota Maru No. 5, launched. NYK Line (Hong Kong) Ltd. and NYK (Thailand) Co. Ltd. established.
1970	Jintsu Maru Container service to the west coast of North America began. Group's first car carrier, Jintsu Maru, launched.
1971	Container service to Europe began.
1972	Container service to the east coast of North America began.
1974	Oi Terminal Group's first container terminal operations commenced at Oi in the port of Tokyo.
1978	Nippon Cargo Airlines Co. Ltd. (NCA) established.
1979	Container service to Persian Gulf began.
1980	Australia-Malaysia-Persian Gulf container service began.
1981	Container service to the west coast of South America began. Container service to South Africa began.
1983	Banshu Maru NYK Line (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. established. LNG shipments from Indonesia to Japan began.

1985~

The yen appreciation stemming from the Plaza Accord in 1985 had a major impact on the cost structure of shipping companies. We responded by shifting to a multinational mix of our seafaring workforce and beginning a structural transformation, to become a comprehensive global-logistics enterprise centered on our marine transportation business.

1986	Group's first long-term management vision, "NYK 21" announced.
1988	NYK Line (North America) Inc. established. Hong Kong Logistics Center completed.
1989	NYK Line (Europe) Ltd., NYK Bulkship (USA) Inc., and NYK Bulkship (Europe) Ltd. established. Logistics centers established in Bangkok, Los Angeles, and Sydney.
1990	Luxury cruise ship Crystal Harmony began service as Group reenters cruise business.
1991	YTI Container Terminal in Los Angeles, U.S. Acquired Nippon Liner System Co. Ltd. Los Angeles and Oakland container terminals opened. Laem Chabang (Thailand) Container Terminal opened. Asuka, Japan's largest luxury cruise ship, began service.
1992	Kaohsiung (Taiwan) Container Terminal opened.
1993	Takamine Maru First Japan-registered double-hull tanker, Takamine Maru, launched.
1994	NYK Line (Deutschland) GmbH, NYK Line (Benelux) B.V., and NYK Line (Sverige) AB established.
1995	NYK Line (China) Co. Ltd. established.
1996	LNG Tanker AL JASRA Qatar Trade New container services offered through the Grand Alliance commenced on the North America - European routes. LNG shipments from Qatar to Japan began.
1997	Diamond Grace tanker accident occured in Tokyo Bay.
1998	Acquired Showa Line Co. Ltd. Introduced NAV9000, a rigorous self-imposed safety management system.
1999	Liner Division and Car Carrier Division obtained ISO 9002 certification.
2000	"NYK21 New Millennium Declaration," establishing medium- to long-term performance targets, announced.

2001~

2001	Hinode Kisen Co. Ltd. became a wholly owned subsidiary of NYK and assumed responsibility for NYK's conventional ship business. NYK Shipmanagement Pte. Ltd. established in Singapore.
2002	NYK (including chartered fleet) obtained ISO14001 certification, world's first for a shipping company.
2003	NYK Maritime Museum Dalian Port RORO terminal NYK 21 "Forward 120," the company's medium- to long-term group management vision, announced. NYK Maritime Museum opened in the renovated Yokohama Yusen Building. NYK Logistics (Europe) Ltd. and NYK Logistics (Asia) Pte Ltd. established. Group invested in Dalian Port RORO terminal.
2004	All logistics subsidiaries rebranded as "NYK Logistics." MTI (Monohakobi Technology Institute) established for the development of new technology.
2005	Cargo aircraft of Nippon Cargo Airlines Co. Ltd. New medium-term management plan, "New Horizon 2007," announced. Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) became a consolidated subsidiary of NYK. Endorsed and declared the support for the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). Luxury cruise ship Asuka II launched.
2007	NYK-TDG Maritime Academy NYK-TDG Maritime Academy opened in the Philippines. NYK Group Values (The 3 I's - integrity, innovation, and intensity) announced.
2008	"New Horizon 2010," the company's new medium-term management plan, announced.
2009	ETESCO TAKATSUGU J Exploratory design for NYK Super Eco Ship 2030 released. Group participated in project for ultra-deepwater drillship chartered by Petrobras.
2010	CARMEN KNUTSEN Group entered offshore shuttle tanker business by purchasing interest in Knutsen Offshore Tankers AS. Yusen Logistics established to integrate the NYK Group's logistics.

2011~

2011	FPSO CIDADE DE PARATY New medium-term management plan, "More Than Shipping 2013," announced. Group participated in FPSO business (ultra-deep pre-salt layer off Brazil).
2012	NYK's Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) became the first in the world to be certified by ClassNK. Members of the Grand Alliance and The New World Alliance created the G6 Alliance and cooperate to form new Asia-Europe container services. Group jointly participated in Wheatstone LNG project in Australia.
2013	NYK-Hinode Line Ltd. and NYK Global Bulk Corporation merged to form NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd.
2014	New medium-term management plan, "More than Shipping 2018," announced.
2015	Sakigake Japan's first LNG-fueled tugboat, Sakigake, launched.
2016	World's first LNG-fueled pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) delivered.
2017	ONE STORK The new integrated container shipping company (Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd.) established. Full acquisition of Yusen Logistics Co., Ltd. ENGIE Zeebrugge, the world's first LNG bunkering vessel, launched.
2018	New medium-term management plan, "Staying Ahead 2022 with Digitalization and Green," announced. The new integrated container shipping company (ONE) started operation. Exploratory design for NYK SUPER ECO SHIP 2050 released.
2019	World's first Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships trial conducted.
2020	SAKURA LEADER Establishment of framework for ESG management. MarCoPay Inc. realizes world's first onboard use of digital currency. Japan's first LNG-fueled pure car and truck carrier(PCTC)delivered.

2021~

2021	NYK Group ESG Story issued. First NYK-TDG Maritime Academy graduate attains rank of NYK captain. Target of net-zero emissions by 2050 for oceangoing businesses announced.
2022	Akita branch opened.
2023	Shoyo New medium-term management plan,"Sail Green, Drive Transformations 2026 - A Passion for Planetary Wellbeing," announced. World's First LNG-fueled Panamax delivered.