ONE has come!

This "start-up" is rich in challenges, but more than anything it is the creation of employees who made it happen by joining hands and working together.

Announced in 2016, ONE is the container joint venture of Japan's Kisen Kabushiki-gaisha ("K" Line), Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).

Region head and managing director Mr Shunichiro Mizukami, of Ocean Network Express (East Asia) Ltd, outlined ONE's thinking as he confidently faces, with much excitement, day one when the start-up goes live and becomes an operational reality.

"We concentrate on ensuring the new start-up is smooth and on track." said Mr Mizukami. "In 2018, we concentrate on keeping our feet on the ground and staying close to the market - walking before we run."

"Although there are overlapping services, NYK, MOL and 'K' Line are members of THE Alliance, the customers were continue to benefit from high quality competitive services and enhancement of the companies' global network and service structure and exploit operational synergies," he said.

He expected the new ONE setup would suffer no hitches and glitches in the transition, because he understood that customers expected to experience minimal disruptions and that things would go as smoothly as they have done in the past. Changes and improvements will come later.

"We must ensure a smooth start," he said. "ONE is a hybrid-class carrier, big enough to survive, yet small enough to care. So that's why we are best supported by customers, who think that our product is different from those offered by the mega carriers or niche carriers, and that's why we want to be with them, care for them and meet their expectations, and not focus making changes of current products and networks at the outset.

"And then, only after listening very carefully, will we gradually make changes as need arises," Mr Mizukami said.

One change that must be made and made soon is standardisation of ways and means of differing practices of the three lines that will make up Ocean Network Express a singular whole, he said.

The basic item is the bill of lading, though Mr Mizukami concedes there will be some overlap on timing before every one is working from the same documentation.

Keeping the staff on the same page, coming as they do from differing backgrounds will be a challenge he expects will be achieved through "town hall meetings".

Said Mr Mizukami: "Town halls are an important communication platform to convey and share the corporate message of the company, making known key directions and providing updates."

"I am excited to be the region head and managing director of East Asia, we have dedicated and professional staff to make our region become a shining gem in East Asia," he said.

While ONE is based in Singapore, the lion's share of its business will be done out of Hong Kong because so much of the company's business is with China.

As Mr Mizukami sees ONE, it is an international company that happens to be Japanese, rather than a Japanese company that happens to be an international company. ONE's management is made up of different nationalities, which shows how internationalised it is, he said.

Another distinction is that while it is based in Singapore, the lion's of its business, some global headquarter functions, including pricing and the handling of key global accounts, take place in Hong Kong, because the China export market is what matters most. Also the entire project cargo operation runs from Hong Kong as well.

Singapore is ONE's global headquarters, because it is more internationally open, increasingly recognised as Asia's maritime hub, with extensive logistics capabilities and diversified nationalities as well as accessible information in the Lion City.

Regional headquarter functions are relegated to Hong Kong. What has been and will be of continuing vital concern is maintaining peerless service to Japanese BCOs, whose holdings, factories and plants are scattered the world over, but mostly in Japan, Korea, mainland China, Taiwan and Vietnam and the East Asia region covered by Mr Mizukami. This business is Priority ONE, just as it was for the legacy carriers.

So as the start-up's first year unfolds the big question for the ONE partners is keeping things as smoothly as they have gone so that smooth launch will continue to match the service levels they provided the only days before.

All ONE hopes for, is nothing more than business as usual for the time being. ONE, which brings 1.4 million TEU capacity to the market and as a global player puts itself in sixth place among the giants. For now that's good enough. Improvements can come later.