Pacific International Lines orders five LNG-powered boxships from Chinese yard

Singapore shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL) has placed an order for five 13,000TEU container vessels in a series from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding of China.

The five Neo-Panamax vessels will be fitted with dual-fuel engines that can also run on LNG in addition to low-sulphur fuel oil. PIL said they will also have the flexibility to meet the demands of different voyages, weather conditions, and load capacities.

Lars Kastrup, CEO of PIL, said that, together with another eight vessels currently under construction, the company now has 13 new vessels that will contribute significantly towards its decarbonisation goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The vessels will incorporate the latest technological and energy-saving features including an optimised hull-form; variable-frequency drive (VFD) motors for larger pumps and ventilation blowers; lower-energy LED lighting; as well as premium hull coatings. When completed, the vessels will be fully compliant with the IMO's Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for newbuilds and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).

In addition, increased digitalisation such as AI and IoT has been incorporated in the design and equipment for the automation of tasks. PIL said these improvements will contribute to more efficient operations, provide a safe and modern working environment as well as enhancing the welfare of the company's crews.