Pacific International Lines (PIL) has teamed up with a second major terminal operator to help decarbonise the liner sector.
Singapore’s largest liner company said the tie-up with DP World, which handles around 10% of the world’s container trade, aims to leverage each other’s strengths and expertise.
In the near term, both parties will collaborate on trial shipments between Jebel Ali Port in Dubai and destinations within PIL’s network, with initiatives to reduce the shipments’ greenhouse gas footprint.
This will include shipments on PIL’s vessels powered by a biofuel blend, biofuel bunkering and deploying container-handling equipment at terminals that runs on renewable energy.
Over the longer term, the companies will explore expanding this partnership to include other ports within DP World’s global network and using other alternative fuels, such as e-LNG, green methanol or green ammonia in PIL’s vessel operations and bunkering.
The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai.
“With the renewed commitment by the International Maritime Organization this year to take a significant step forward to decarbonise the shipping industry, we at PIL are responding actively to IMO’s call and working to invest in and implement green solutions to achieve our target of achieving net zero by 2050,” said chief executive Lars Kastrup.
“Capitalising on the combined strengths of our two organisations, we can both augment our sustainability efforts as we co-develop solutions to decarbonise our supply chains.”
Tiemen Meester, group chief operating officer for ports & terminals at DP World, said: “Decarbonisation is the single biggest concern for DP World outside the constraints and the physical movement of goods.
“We have already committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2040 and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“But we must explore partnerships with companies that share our ambitions and technology to be deployed right now for quicker results.”
Last month, PIL launched a similar tie-up with Singapore container terminal operator PSA International.
The collaboration between the two long-time partners includes the development of a set of low-carbon emission routes for containers shipped by PIL via PSA International terminals.
Alphaliner ranks PIL as the 12th-largest liner company in the world, with a container ship capacity of 293,682 teu.
PSA controls more than 60 deepsea, rail and inland terminals across 44 countries, according to its website.
