Piet Sinke / Maasmond Maritime
Singapore’s Pacific International Lines (PIL) has confirmed a shipbuilding deal with Jiangnan Shipyard in China for four 14,000 teu ammonia-ready container vessels. The vessels will initially be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) or low sulphur fuel oil, but 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.
The quartet will be delivered progressively from the second half of 2024 through the first half of 2025. When delivered, the vessels will become the largest container vessels in PIL’s fleet and the first vessels in the fleet to run on LNG.
Lars Kastrup, co-president and executive director of PIL, said: “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. 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.”
