Staff writer
Although recession is clouding the economic landscape, the nation's major maritime transport carriers -- through such means as realignment -- are hoping to beef up their nonliner operations and sail into non-Japanese markets.
Effective Thursday, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, the country's second-largest marine carrier, will merge with Navix Line Ltd., the fourth-biggest, creating a fleet of some 500 vessels. Their combined sales in fiscal 1997 came to 709.7 billion yen.