SINGAPORE container carrier Pacific International Lines (PIL) is accelerating the renewal of its fleet with an order for another five liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container vessels. Each one has a capacity of 9,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).
PIL said on Tuesday (Nov 5) that the vessels will be built by Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, with delivery slated for 2027 and 2028.
Earlier in August, the company said it had ordered five LNG dual-fuel container vessels with a capacity of 13,000 TEU from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, with the vessels expected to be delivered progressively from end-2026.
The latest addition will bring the company’s newbuild vessels ordered since 2022 to 18. These include four 14,000 TEU, four 8,000 TEU, five 13,000 TEU and five 9,000 TEU vessels.
Lars Kastrup, chief executive officer of PIL, said: “With 18 newbuild vessels ordered in the last couple of years, PIL is demonstrating our commitment to renew, expand and modernise our fleet. Our aim is to replace up to half of our fleet in the next decade with modern new ships and charters.”
The new batch of 9,000 TEU vessels will be designed with optimised cargo stowage features aimed at enhacing PIL’s service capabilities.
In addition, these vessels will be built “to achieve a high level of environmental sustainability” with the capability to run on bio-methane, one of the lowest-emission fuels available to the shipping industry today, said PIL.
The latest batch will have digital features that incorporate artificial intelligence and Internet of Things to allow for task automation and real-time monitoring. The company said these enhanced digital capabilities will enable better route-planning and cargo management.
The new vessels will also incorporate energy-saving features including a streamlined hull form, variable-frequency drive motors, shaft generators, and lower-energy LED lighting, PIL added.
