PIL orders four dual-fuel ammonia-ready boxships

Singapore-based shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL) has decided to order four dual-fuel 14,000 TEU containerships in China.

On 4 March 2022, PIL said it signed a shipbuilding contract with Jiangnan Shipyard.

As informed, the vessels will be equipped with dual-fuel engines and auxiliaries which can run on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) or low sulphur fuel oil.

The four newbuilds are planned to be delivered progressively from 2H 2024 through to 1H 2025. When delivered, the vessels will become the largest container vessels in PIL’s fleet and the first units in the fleet to run on LNG.

“This contract to build the four 14,000 TEU LNG dual-fuelled vessels marks our plan to continue optimising our fleet to serve our customers in our key markets. At the same time, it is aligned to our total commitment to reducing PIL’s carbon emissions by tapping on the latest technologies available,” Lars Kastrup, Co-President and Executive Director, PIL, commented.

“The LNG option represents an important step in PIL’s decarbonisation journey, and as BioLNG and e-Methane as well as other technology solutions mature, we aspire to continue to be at the forefront of these developments to achieve the zero emission target.”

The ship quartet will also be equipped with an ammonia intermediate ready fuel tank which makes it possible to retrofit the vessels to run on ammonia when the technology is commercially available.

PIL is the world’s twelfth ocean carrier and has a total of 85 ships in its fleet, according to Alphaliner’s TOP 100 figures.

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