MOL History in Africa

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History of Osaka Shosen's Africa Route


East Africa Line

Since December 1916, when Osaka Shosen opened the Westward South America Line, its ships began calling at South African ports such as Durban and Cape Town. From 1918, the ships made temporary return stops at Algoa Bay and East London, and in 1922, Port Elizabeth was added as a port of call, contributing to South African trade. As exports of Japanese products to East Africa via Bombay or Aden steadily increased, the demand for a direct Japan-Africa route grew.

In 1925, Osaka Shosen sent surveyors to East Africa and, based on their findings, inaugurated the East Africa Line in March 1926 with Kanadamaru as the first ship. Operating as a monthly service, the route started from Kobe, stopping at Moji, Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Mombasa, Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Beira, Delagoa Bay, and Durban on the outward journey, and returning via Durban, Mombasa, Singapore, Moji, Osaka, and Kobe. By 1931, the company introduced five large ships of around 10,000 gross tons, supporting the surge in exports of Japanese products during the 1930s.

Osaka Shosen's East African Economic Survey Report (1926)

East Africa Route English Brochure Image

The first East Africa Line ship, Kanadamaru
A black-and-white photograph of the pre-war Mombasa Resident Office (1929-1941), a colonial-style building with “MITCHELL COTTS AND CO LTD” written on its facade, and a statue of a man in the foreground. Pre-war Mombasa Resident Office (1929-1941)
The Ship of Tragedy Hokokumaru

During the 1930s, while block economies emerged among global powers, East Africa maintained free trade, allowing Japanese products to expand their market presence. Exports of wool from South Africa and cotton from British Uganda and Kenya also increased. Osaka Shosen built three state-of-the-art 10,500-ton diesel-powered passenger-cargo ships, beginning with Hokokumaru, launched on the East Africa Line in July 1940. The ship had a capacity for 50 first-class and 300 third-class passengers and achieved speeds of over 21 knots. Despite a warm reception at various ports, the escalation of World War II limited Hokokumaru to a single voyage before it was reassigned to domestic routes. Later converted into an auxiliary cruiser by the Japanese Navy, Hokokumaru and its sister ship Aikokumaru were both lost in wartime operations.

A black-and-white photograph of Hokokumaru with a long, streamlined structure sailing on calm waters. Hokokumaru
A historic Aikokumaru as an armed auxiliary cruiser in camouflage paint, floating on a calm sea with minimal visible details. Aikokumaru as an armed auxiliary cruiser
West Africa Line

In 1933, Arasukamaru began calling at West African ports such as Lobito, Lagos, Accra, and Dakar via Cape Town. Initial voyages faced challenges due to limited market information, but Osaka Shosen persisted, deploying Atorasumaru and Arasukamaru in 1935 and increasing voyages to three per year in 1936. By 1937, the line became a regular biannual service with ships such as Arasukamaru, Atorasumaru, and Shunkomaru. In 1939 and 1940, newer, faster ships like Nishiamaru, Higashiamaru, and Minamimaru were added to improve efficiency, but World War II forced operations to cease in 1940.

A black-and-white photograph of a Minamimaru sailing on calm waters, featuring a superstructure and masts equipped with cargo handling cranes. Minamimaru

West Africa Route Brochure Image

Postwar Resumption of African Routes
  1. Reopening of East and South Africa Lines

    After World War II, in 1951, Osaka Shosen was authorized by the General Headquarters of the Allied Forces (GHQ) to resume its Africa routes with Osakamaru as the first ship. By 1957, the company separated its East and South Africa Lines, introducing monthly services with ships such as Tokaimaru and Awamaru. By 1958, regular calls at South American ports were also resumed, surpassing prewar service levels.

    A black-and-white photograph of Osakamaru, the first postwar cargo ship built, sailing on a calm sea. Osakamaru, the first postwar cargo ship built
  2. Reopening of the West Africa Line

    In 1954, Osakamaru reestablished the West Africa Line after a 14-year hiatus, offering faster and cheaper shipping services, welcomed by shippers. The route initially included stops at Cape Town and West African ports up to Dakar, with return voyages via Casablanca and Suez. After briefly using the Panama Canal, the route reverted to the Suez Canal in 1958. From 1962, the line integrated Mediterranean ports on return voyages, launching with Panamamaru.

    A black-and-white photograph of a vintage cargo ship Panamamaru with multiple masts and visible flags, cruising on the open sea. Panamamaru
Introduction of Semi-Container and Full-Container Services

As container shipping gained momentum starting with the California Line, demand for similar services in Africa grew. Osaka Shosen introduced semi-container ships, capable of carrying both traditional cargo and containers, followed by the Ocean-E type ships (with a container capacity of 545 TEU). In 1979, the company ships Afurikamaru and Atorantikkumaru (with a container capacity of 664 TEU) were deployed, followed in 1981 by Pashifikkumaru and Panamamaru (with a container capacity of 786 TEU).

Semi-con ship: Atorantikkumaru in a bustling harbor with skyscrapers and hills in the background, equipped with cranes and docked alongside smaller vessels. Semi-con ship: Atorantikkumaru

In 1981, the South Africa Line pioneered full-container service as part of the Safari Service, a joint effort with Japan's NYK Line, K Line, and international firms Safmarine and Nedlloyd, deploying vessels like Osakamaru (1,770 TEU capacity) for twice-monthly sailings.

A large container ship Osakamaru loaded with colorful shipping containers, sailing in front of a mountainous backdrop under a clear sky. Containership Osakamaru

By the 1990s, containerization expanded further. The East Africa Line transitioned from semi-container service to full-container service starting in Singapore in 1992. In the West Africa Line, the 1994 dissolution of WAFEX (a joint shipping arrangement) allowed Osaka Shosen to independently operate feeder services from Cape Town, later collaborating with Nedlloyd in 1997 to launch direct services starting in Busan.