K-Line Ship Management Co. Ltd., a Japanese shipping line plans to expand its operation in the Philippines in the next four years. (2008 to 2011). As part of the company's fleet expansion, they are set to acquire 300 new vessels. This would open employment opportunities for Filipino seamen.

Shuichiro Maeda, president of K-Line said that they are planning to hire 7,000 Filipino seafarers, which would comprise of 3,330 officers and 3,600 ratings. Filipino seamen are preferred because the company has been employing Filipinos ever since and a vessel composed of Filipino crew members is easier to manage.

Maeda said, “Filipinos are hardworking and easy learners, not to mention they have good communication skills." The president of K-Line also informed that they target to build 10 container ships by 2010, and they plan to hire only Filipino crews and officers.

K-Line will also open a training school in the Philippines to be called The K-Line Maritime Academy-Philippines next year. It aims to improve the managerial skills of K-Line’s deck officers and seafarers. The school is expected to be operational in February 2008 and aims to train at least 10,000 seafarers per year.