On the morning of October 28th, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding held the naming ceremony for the “Kota Orkid,” the fourth vessel in the series of 8200TEU dual-fuel LNG-powered container ships built for Singapore’s Pacific International Lines (PIL).
This is the final vessel in PIL’s new series of four “O”-class ships, marking another solid step in the transformation of PIL’s green fleet. This vessel will join the first three ships in the series—the “Kota Oasis,” “Kota Ocean,” and “Kota Odyssey”—in serving PIL’s South West Africa Service (SWS). This will further enhance shipping connectivity and service flexibility between Asia and West Africa, promoting efficient and reliable global trade.
The vessel was named “Kota Orkid” by its godmother, Mrs. Annie Yap, wife of Mr. Yap Chee Keong, a Director of PIL. Kota Orkid originates from the Malay word for Singapore’s national flower, the orchid (胡姬花), symbolizing resilience, elegance, and the pursuit of quality, reflecting PIL’s corporate resilience and green vision.
Mr. SS Teo, Executive Chairman of PIL, delivered a speech at the naming ceremony. He stated: “The Kota Orkid is the eighth new vessel we have received in the past year and represents another significant step in advancing PIL’s fleet expansion and renewal strategy. With the continuous expansion of our dual-fuel LNG fleet, we are not only enhancing our fleet capacity and vessel technology but also making ongoing investments in green shipping. This vessel will play an important role in strengthening our liner services and creating greater value for our customers.”
The “Kota Orkid” is the eighth dual-fuel LNG vessel received by PIL to date. In addition to the four “O”-class vessels received this year, PIL has also taken delivery of four 14,000 TEU dual-fuel LNG-powered vessels since 2024. PIL currently has an order book of 12 vessels, including five 13,000 TEU and seven 9,000 TEU ships, scheduled for delivery in the coming years.
Mr. Lars Kastrup, Chief Executive Officer of PIL, noted: “The Kota Orkid demonstrates PIL’s continuous progress in green environmental protection, digital intelligence, and operational efficiency. By adopting cleaner fuels, more advanced technologies, and digital systems, we ensure that PIL consistently drives innovation and sustainable development, maintaining resilience and flexibility to meet the evolving demands of global trade.”
It is understood that this vessel type is a new generation of green, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly container ship jointly developed and built by Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group. It offers operational flexibility, capable of handling both feeder and ocean-going transport tasks. Its performance indicators, including speed, deadweight tonnage, and number of laden containers, all exceed contractual requirements.
This vessel type has an overall length of 260.0 meters, a molded breadth of 45.6 meters, a molded depth of 24.7 meters, a design draft of 12.5 meters, and a scantling draft of 15.5 meters. Its maximum container capacity is 8,350 TEU, comprising 5,562 TEU in the holds and 2,788 TEU on deck. It can carry 850 FEU of reefer containers, with 200 FEU in the holds and 650 FEU on deck. The cargo hold structure, hatch covers, and lashing bridges feature an integrated design, allowing for the flexible combination loading of reefer, dangerous goods, standard, and high-cube containers without losing slot capacity.
The new vessel is equipped with a GTT MARK III Flex membrane fuel tank, which is also suitable for ammonia fuel storage. It has received the corresponding ammonia-ready class notation, representing the most advanced design technology and construction level for medium-sized container ships. The ship is fitted with a Wärtsilä LNG dual-fuel gas supply system, meeting the world’s most stringent emission requirements (compared to traditional fuel oil container ships, it can reduce carbon emissions by 20%, nitrogen oxides by 85%, and sulfur oxides by 99%). Its EEDI already meets Phase III requirements ahead of schedule.
The vessel’s main engine is equipped with an advanced iCER system, which not only ensures the fuel oil mode meets Tier III nitrogen oxide emission requirements but also reduces methane slip in LNG mode, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and offers the flexibility to use bio-methane fuel. The generators are equipped with SCR systems, also meeting IMO nitrogen oxide emission requirements. The hydrodynamically optimized hull design and anti-fouling coating further enhance fuel efficiency.
With the addition of the “Kota Orkid,” the PIL fleet is accelerating its modernization, high-performance capabilities, and sustainable development, providing global customers with more reliable and greener shipping solutions.
