• OOCL celebrates the christening of "OOCL Shanghai" and "OOCL New York", two post Panamax container vessels ordered by the company under a long-term time charter agreement with the German based company, Nordcapital. A double christening ceremony was held at the Koje Shipyard of Samsung Heavy Industries in Pusan, Korea.
• OOCL launches of the Qingdao Japan Express Service (QJX), providing enhanced linkage between Northern China and Japan. Port rotation is Qingdao (Thu), Yokohama (Mon), Tokyo (Mon), Qingdao (Sat), Kobe (Wed), Osaka (Thu) and Nagoya (Fri).
• The Central Division of the Canadian International Freight Forwarder's Association (CIFFA) names OOCL the "Ocean Carrier of the Year 1999" and the number one carrier for "Outstanding Service and Commitment Between Toronto and Europe".
• OOCL has recently set two records in its safety and quality drive by having all its vessels achieve Level 7 rating on the International Marine Safety Rating System (IMSRS). This makes OOCL the world's first carrier to have the whole fleet audited and achieved the high level of safety, environmental protection and quality standards required by IMSRS.

• OOCL achieves the ISO 9002 certification in eight of its major offices in China bringing the total number of certified offices in China to 13. The company was the first international carrier in China to achieve this recognition with four of its offices in South China certified in November 1996 and its Shanghai office certified in July 1997. The eight offices are located in Dalian, Beijing, Tianjin, Qingdao, Nanjing, Ningbo, Fuzhou and Xiamen.

• OOCL launches the Internet Rate Inquiry Service - a "virtual service desk", offering customers additional convenience and flexibility. Customers may obtain rate quotations anywhere, anytime by completing a simple pre-designed form. They may send in their request at their own convenience without having to browse through the company's electronic tariff. A reply will be delivered within 24 hours via email, fax, telephone or even in person, according to customer's preference. Multiple inquiries can also be made easily.
• OOCL and Wan Hai Lines Ltd. announced that they will jointly offer a direct service between North China, other Asian ports and the Middle East. The new China / Middle East service is scheduled to be launched on 26 July 1999 from Dalian. This new fixed-day weekly service is the first direct service between North China and the Middle East and offers a fast and reliable service to customers. A total of six 1,100-teu vessels will be deployed. The port rotation will be Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Dubai, Karachi, Port Kelang, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dalian.

June

• OOCL announces the introduction of China Korea Express (CKX) service offering improved port coverage in China and Korea on the Transpacific trade. Five new vessels will be deployed in this new service which will complement the existing five Asia / US West Coast and two Asia / US East Coast services. The new fixed day weekly service will call Hong Kong, Shanghai, Qingdao, Pusan, Los Angeles, Seattle, Pusan and Hong Kong and offers the industry's best transit times for some of the routings.
• OOCL further enhances its Australian service network.   With the introduction of the new ANSCON service in mid June, importers and exporters in Australia will benefit further from OOCL's enhanced service network which offers wider port coverage, more frequency and fast transit times.  With the introduction of the new fixed day weekly services linking Australia to Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, imports and exports in Australia will be handled more efficiently.

April

• OOCL Ehime received a warm welcome at Shimonoseki when she made her first sailing to the port of Shimonoseki located at the westernmost tip of Honshu Island of Japan, marking the inauguration of OOCL's enhanced Shikoku / Taiwan Service (STX).  A ceremony was held at the Shimonoseki Container Terminal and was attended by more than 150 guests including the Mayor of Shimonoseki City, local government officials, representatives from major corporations and the media.

March

• OOCL further enhances its Shikoku / Taiwan Express Service (STX Service).  Starting from April 1, 1999, the number of calls per week at Hiroshima, Matsuyama, Keelung and Kaohsiung is increased to two and the port coverage is extended to include port calls at Shimonoseki, Mizushima and Nakanoseki, on top of the existing port calls at Hososhima, Kokura, Hiroshima, Lyomishima, Matsuyama, Tokuyama, Keelung and Kaohsiung.  OOCL's extensive coverage of niche ports in Japan brings considerable cost savings and improved supply chain management to customers.
• Long Beach Container Terminal, Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Orient Overseas (International) Ltd, has recently been awarded the "Best Container Terminal Operator in North America" at the 13th Asian Freight Industry Awards. This is the second year the terminal has won this award.   Long Beach Container Terminal beat the other six nominees taking 28.47% of the votes while the first runner-up received 18.54%.  Last year, the terminal won 25.5%.

January

• OOCL has recently been awarded the Gold-Headed Cane by the Port of Montreal. The award was received by Capt Roger Llewellyn, master of OOCL Belgium, who becomes the first and the only ship's master to win three of the awards this century.   The British captain won the famous trophy for the third time when the brand-new container vessel, the OOCL Belgium, crossed the port's limits at 12:38 am on January 1, 1999. Capt Llewellyn won the Gold-Headed Cane in 1997 at the helm of OOCL Canada and in 1993 aboard the OOCL Assurance. The OOCL Belgium is registered in Hong Kong, China and is one of the three biggest containerships sailing the St Lawrence River.