SIMIC

SINGAPORE-HEADQUARTERED Pacific International Lines (PIL) has taken delivery of its third of four 14,000 TEU containerships in its fleet designed to run on LNG and constructed by Jiangnan Shipyard in China.

"We are thrilled to welcome Kota Ebony, our third 14K vessel to our fleet. These efficient dual-fuel vessels enable us to further bolster our services and support the growing trade between China and Latin America," said Lars Kastrup, CEO of PIL.



"The first two sister ships, Kota Eagle and Kota Emerald, were delivered in October and December last year, and are already operating successfully on our Latin America service network. We are now proud to add Kota Ebony to reinforce the East Coast Latin America service."



The fourth 14,000 TEU vessel is expected in the coming months and will be joined by another 14 dual-fuel, biomethane-capable vessels which will be delivered progressively over 2025 and the subsequent years.



"This significant investment represents PIL's ongoing efforts at fleet renewal as well as our unwavering commitment to making shipping more environmentally sustainable as we chart our way to achieve net zero emissions by 2050," Mr Kastrup said.



The 14,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel ships are equipped with GTT's Mark III LNG containment system and feature a high container intake as well as various energy-saving technologies such as hull coatings, an optimized hull form, and variable frequency drive motors.



The ships will also use artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) which will increase the automation of tasks and enable better monitoring and planning of the vessels' operations and routes through PIL's Centre for Maritime Efficiency.



The shipping company has ordered a total of 18 newbuild vessels since 2022. In addition to the four 14,000 TEU vessels, PIL has another four 8,000 TEU, five 13,000 TEU, and five 9,000 TEU vessels on order, reports Rotterdam's Offshore Energy.