Nippon Yusen K.K., Japan's largest shipping line, expects its car-carrying vessels to transport more vehicles in fiscal 2012 than it has in five years as demand surges in North America and factories in Thailand recover from last year's floods.
Auto shipments will probably rise to 3.5 million in the business year started April 1, Executive Vice President Masahiro Kato said Monday in Tokyo. The company had predicted shipments would reach 2.87 million last fiscal year.
"The market in America is extremely strong," Kato said. That is "making up for the drop in Europe."