Nippon Yusen

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (日本郵船株式会社, Nippon Yūsen Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan Mail Shipping Line or NYK Line) is one of the largest shipping companies in the world. It is a member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFJ) keiretsu. The company has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan

History

1870-1900

The company traces its history back to the Tsukumo Shokai Shipping company founded by the Tosa clan in 1870. In 1875, as the renamed Mitsubishi Shokai, the company inaugurated Japan's first passenger liner service, with a route from Yokohama to Shanghai; and in that same year, the company name was changed to Mitsubishi Mail Steamship Company. In 1885, a merger with Kyodo Unyu Kaisha (founded 1882) led to the adoption of the company's present name.

The merged company had a fleet of 58 steamships and expanded its operations rapidly, first to other ports of the East and then worldwide, with a line service to London being inaugurated in 1899.

1900-1950

The majority of Japanese merchant ships, tankers and liners sailed under the NYK banner in this period. Regular services linked Kobe and Yokohama with South America, Batavia, Melbourne, Cape Town; and frequent cruises to San Francisco and Seattle. Other routes connected local Chinese cabotage vessels on the Chinese coasts and upper Yangtze.

Crystal Serenity

Crystal Serenity is a cruise ship owned by Crystal Cruises. Crystal Serenity was built in 2003 in STX Europe in St. Nazaire. She operates together with her older fleetmate, Crystal Symphony, offering around the world voyages.

Concept and construction

By March 2000, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, parent company of Crystal, started negotiations with the French shipyard, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, for the construction of a third ship for Crystal Cruises.Crystal Serenity was then ordered in Chantiers de l'Atlantique (now STX France Cruise SA) on 7 November 2000, together with the signed Letter of Intent. On 12 December 2000, the official contract was then signed by NYK and Chantiers, for the construction of Crystal Serenity, with an expected delivery by June 2003, which was 6 months ahead of the original plans. By March 2001, Crystal Cruises unveiled the designs for the upcoming Crystal Serenity. The keel of Crystal Serenity was laid on 9 July 2002 in Chantiers de l'Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France. She was then christened on 3 July 2003, by Dame Julie Andrews, in Southampton, United Kingdom.

Kabushiki gaisha

The kabushiki gaisha (株式会社, lit. "stock company") [kabu͍ɕi̥ki ɡaiɕa] or kabushiki kaisha, commonly abbreviated KK, is a type of business corporation (会社, kaisha) defined under Japanese law.

Usage in language

Both kabushiki kaisha and the rendaku form kabushiki gaisha are used. The "K" spelling is much more common in the names of companies and in English-language legal literature, whereas the "G" pronunciation is dominant in Japanese.

In Japanese, "kabushiki gaisha" can be used as a prefix (e.g. 株式会社電通 Kabushiki gaisha Dentsū, which is called "mae-kabu") or as a suffix (e.g. トヨタ自動車株式会社 Toyota Jidōsha Kabushiki gaisha, which is called "ato-kabu").

Many Japanese companies translate the phrase "Kabushiki Kaisha" (KK) as "Co., Ltd." while others use the more Americanized translations "Corporation" or "Incorporated". English texts often refer to kabushiki gaisha as "joint stock companies"; while this is close to a literal translation of the term, the two are not the same. The Japanese government previously endorsed "business corporation" as an official translation but now uses the literal translation "stock company".

Freight transport

Freight transport is the physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo. The term shipping originally referred to transport by sea, but is extended in American English to refer to transport by land or air (International English: "carriage") as well. "Logistics", a term borrowed from the military environment, is also fashionably used in the same sense.

Modes of shipment

Ground

Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck (International English: lorry). In air and sea shipments, ground transport is required to take the cargo from its place of origin to the airport or seaport and then to its destination because it is not always possible to establish a production facility near ports due to limited coastlines of countries. Ground transport is typically more affordable than air, but more expensive than sea especially in developing countries like India, where inland infrastructure is not efficient.

Shipment of cargo by trucks, directly from the shipper's place to the destination, is known as a door to door shipment and more formally as multimodal transport. Trucks and trains make deliveries to sea and air ports where cargo is moved in bulk.

Crystal

A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents, such as atoms, molecules or ions, are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macroscopic single crystals are usually identifiable by their geometrical shape, consisting of flat faces with specific, characteristic orientations.

The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography. The process of crystal formation via mechanisms of crystal growth is called crystallization or solidification. The word crystal is derived from the Ancient Greek word κρύσταλλος (krustallos), meaning both “ice” and “rock crystal”, from κρύος (kruos), "icy cold, frost".

Examples of large crystals include snowflakes, diamonds, and table salt. Most inorganic solids are not crystals but polycrystals, i.e. many microscopic crystals fused together into a single solid. Examples of polycrystals include most metals, rocks, ceramics, and ice. A third category of solids is amorphous solids, where the atoms have no periodic structure whatsoever. Examples of amorphous solids include glass, wax, and many plastics.