Pacific International Lines is the latest company to join the container ship newbuilding surge.
The Singapore liner announced it has ordered five LNG dual-fuelled 13,000-teu vessels at state-owned Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding.
PIL did not disclose the cost of the neo-panamaxes, but brokers suggest the company will be paying more than $190m per ship.
Hudong-Zhonghua is slated to deliver the first vessel at the end of 2026 and the remaining in 2027.
“Designed with a focus on efficiency, safety and sustainability, the modern vessels will also have the flexibility to meet the demands of different voyages, weather conditions and load capacities.
“They will be equipped with dual-fuel engines and auxiliaries to be able to run on both LNG as well as low-sulphur fuel oil,” said PIL.
Lars Kastrup, chief executive of PIL, said the order is part of the company’s “fleet renewal strategy for larger and more eco-friendly vessel types”.
“Together with another eight vessels we currently have under construction, we now have 13 new vessels that will contribute significantly towards our decarbonisation goal of net zero emissions by 2050,” said Kastrup.
PIL’s eight other container ships are under construction at shipyards in China. They were ordered in 2022.
Yangzijiang is building four 8,200-teu vessels and Jiangnan Shipyard is constructing larger ships of 14,000 teu.
PIL is scheduled to take delivery of two 14,000-teu boxships from Jiangnan in October and December this year and the remaining two during the first half of next year. The quartet at Yangzijiang will be rolling out of the dry dock in 2025.
“As part of our commitment to putting customers first, we are continually optimising our fleet with newer and more advanced vessels to better serve customers in our key markets.
“For instance, the vessels will have a high refrigerated container capacity payload to support our services for the transport of fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, meat and pharmaceuticals,” added Kastrup.
PIL said the newbuildings will incorporate the latest technological and energy-saving features, including an optimised hull-form, variable-frequency drive motors for larger pumps and ventilation blowers, lower-energy LED lightings as well as premium hull coatings.
When completed, the vessels will be fully compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s Energy Efficiency Design Index and the Carbon Intensity Indicator.
“In addition, increased digitalisation such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things has been incorporated in the design and equipment for the automation of tasks. All of these improvements will contribute to more efficient operations, provide a safe and modern working environment as well as enhance the welfare of our seafarers,” said PIL.
“The vessels’ digital features will further boost the ability of PIL’s Centre for Maritime Efficiency to optimise vessel operations and routes, increase safety and security, as well as minimise energy usage.”
PIL is the 12th largest liner company in the world and was established in 1967 by the late Chang Yun Chung.
In 2021, the company went through a major restructuring that saw Heliconia Capital Management — a subsidiary of state-owned investment company Temasek — take a majority stake in the liner outfit by investing $600m.
