NYK Enters Brazilian Cabotage Business

October 27, 2011

NYK is pleased to announce its participation in the Brazilian cabotage business* through an acquisition of 10 percent of the shares of Maestra Navegação e Logistica S.A. (Maestra)** and its two group companies. NYK and Maestra also agreed to nominate one board member from the NYK Group to Maestra’s board of directors and to start Brazilian domestic container transport from November.

Details about the new cabotage service to be offered by NYK and Maestra are as follows:

Deployment: 4 x 1,100 to 1,600 TEU nominal vessels, fixed day weekly service

Rotation: Navegantes – Santos – Rio de Janeiro – Salvador – Suape – Manaus – Suape – Navegantes

NYK will not only be able to participate in the Brazilian cabotage sector, which is showing steady growth every year, but also have coverage to and from Manaus (Amazon Region) and northeast Brazil connecting with NYK’s existing liner services calling the country.

NYK will continue its efforts to provide broader and better-established intermodal transport services to its valued customers.

* Brazilian Cabotage business
Cabotage in Brazil is open only to Brazilian carriers that comply with strict conditions imposed by the Brazilian Maritime Authority.

** Maestra Navegação e Logistica S.A.
Maestra and its group companies were established in 2009 by Brazilian infrastructure operator Triunfo Participações e Investimentos S.A. (TPI).*** Two Brazilian-flag vessels are owned, and certified by the Brazilian Maritime Authority to be operated for domestic carriage of cargos.

*** Triunfo Participações e Investimentos S.A.
Established in 1999, TPI is retaining and operating toll roads, power stations, and container terminals in Brazil through subsidiary companies. Its sales in 2010 summed to R$666 million (about US$360 million). The entire group has 2,300 employees, and TPI is listed in the secondary market of the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange.

NYK Line, press release