MITSUI O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has cited the critical importance of fleet safety protocols and extended its professional respects to the global maritime community after the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council commended the crew of the LNG Saturn.
Nominated by the Government of Japan, Captain Fumitaka Okamura and his crew will receive an official Letter of Commendation under the 2026 IMO Honours for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.
The crew secured the recognition after maneuvering their 288-meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier in the Malacca Strait to pull six survivors from the water. The individuals had been cast adrift after the cargo vessel KM LIMA DAI 8 sank in the highly congested international shipping channel.
The IMO Council finalized the accolade during its 137th session in London. An Assessment Panel and a Panel of Judges selected the crew from more than 50 global nominations, evaluating acts that risked personal safety to preserve life at sea or protect the marine environment.
While the LNG Saturn crew earned a Letter of Commendation, the IMO Council awarded the highest honor, the 2026 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea, posthumously to Adrian Willyson Brask of Norway. The chief mate and rescue diver died in September 2025 during an underwater search for a child trapped beneath a capsized fishing vessel in Nappstraumen, Norway.
MOL stated that the successful deployment of the vessel during the emergency reflects the rigorous safety training and protocols observed by its crew. The company extended its professional gratitude to seafarers worldwide for their continued commitment to safety at sea and mutual emergency assistance on international trade routes.
The IMO will present the Letters of Commendation and the posthumous bravery award during the annual IMO Awards Ceremony in London on Dec. 14, 2026.
