Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. said it may take as long as a year to decide on plans for adding larger vessels, even after its two main domestic rivals signed deals to add big box ships.
"We're not in a hurry," said Jiro Asakura, who became president of Japan's third-biggest container line last month. "We will use large containerships in line with the industry trend, but we're going to think about when and how."
The delay will let the company assess the market and work out the best mix of chartered and purchased vessels, Asakura said in an interview in Tokyo on Wednesday, without elaborating on how many ships it may look to add.