Japan, Sept. 29 -- Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL ) announced the signing of an agreement with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) to provide operational services and related work for JAMSTEC's Arctic research vessel, the Mirai II. Under the agreement, MOL will be responsible for operating the Mirai II. The vessel will serve as an international research platform equipped with icebreaking capability-a first for a Japanese research vessel-as well as some of the world's leading observation capabilities. Its first Arctic Ocean expedition, the First Arctic Ocean Observation Cruise, is scheduled for around summer 2027.Since its selection in 2023 as the prospective operator of the vessel, MOL has been preparing to es...