MOL is predicting that its business will increase "rapidly" over the next three years driven by ongoing strong demand for global ocean shipping services.

But business growth will largely depend on improving the group's performance in container shipping, said MOL president Akimitsu Ashida in an address to the company.

Mr Ashida made this prediction on the company's 123rd anniversary. "We need to work quickly in today's rapidly changing market and transform the liner division under the VLC system to the liner HQ. This will create a nerve centre to link all regional divisions while maintaining the three-polar structure of Asia, North America, and Europe," he said.