On September 16, Pacific International Lines (PIL) held a naming ceremony for its latest 8,200 TEU dual-fuel LNG-powered container vessel for the first time at the Port of Tema, Ghana. This vessel is one of PIL’s brand-new “O”-class ships. It was named “Kota Odyssey” by its godmother, Her Excellency Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the Vice President of Ghana.
Ghana’s Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, and the Deputy Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Hon. Richard Gyan-Mensah, also attended the new vessel naming ceremony.
Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang stated: “This naming ceremony is a testament to Ghana’s growing stature in regional trade and logistics, and it also marks the long-standing and evolving friendly relations between Ghana and Singapore. PIL’s regional headquarters and local company have long been committed to promoting port and multimodal connectivity. With the deployment of this advanced vessel, PIL will play a further role in strengthening trade links between Ghana and Asia, as well as with its West African neighbours. We thank PIL for enhancing our bilateral relations through job creation and support for the development of local talent. We look forward to deeper collaboration between Ghana and Singapore.”
Mr Lars Kastrup, Chief Executive Officer of PIL, said: “Naming this new vessel in Ghana demonstrates PIL’s deep commitment to and continued investment in Ghana. Ghana holds a very critical position in our network, serving not only as a key gateway to West Africa but also as a strategic hub for regional and inland transportation. As we continue to expand our operations, we remain committed to providing sustainable and integrated shipping and logistics solutions to meet the trade landscape and evolving needs of Ghana and the wider African continent.”
It is understood that the “Kota Odyssey” is the third in a series of four 8,200 TEU container vessels currently under construction for PIL. It was built by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group’s New Yangzi Shipbuilding and was delivered and left the yard in August this year.
This vessel type is a new generation of green, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly container ship jointly developed and built by the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) and the Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group. It offers operational flexibility, capable of handling both feeder and ocean-going transport tasks. Its performance indicators, such as speed, deadweight tonnage, and number of heavy containers, all exceed contractual requirements.
The vessel has an overall length of 260.0 meters, a moulded breadth of 45.6 meters, a moulded 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, with 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 are integrally designed, allowing for any combination of reefer, dangerous goods, standard, and high-cube containers to be loaded without losing slot capacity.
This vessel type is equipped with a GTT membrane fuel tank, which is also suitable for ammonia fuel storage, and has obtained the corresponding ammonia-ready class notation as an LNG dual-fuel container ship. It represents the most advanced design technology and construction level for medium-sized container vessels. 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-powered container ships, it can reduce carbon emissions by 20%, nitrogen oxides by 85%, and sulphur oxides by 99%). Its EEDI meets Phase III requirements ahead of schedule.
The new vessel’s main engine is equipped with an advanced iCER system, which not only ensures the fuel mode meets Tier III nitrogen oxide emission requirements but also reduces methane slip in LNG mode, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The generators are equipped with an SCR system, also meeting IMO nitrogen oxide emission requirements.
The vessel will be deployed on PIL’s weekly direct service – the South West Africa Service (SWS) – connecting China, Singapore, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire. This will further strengthen trade between Asia and West Africa and consolidate Ghana’s position as a strategic logistics hub in the region.
PIL has been operating in Africa since the 1970s and currently serves over 30 African countries with seven weekly services and a feeder network covering more than 40 ports. Ghana is home to PIL’s West Africa regional headquarters and is a vital gateway for inland transportation to Burkina Faso.
PIL also strongly supports the development of local talent in Ghana, with approximately 100 Ghanaian seafarers currently serving on the PIL fleet. Furthermore, all of PIL’s operations in Ghana use locally sourced renewable energy. Naming this new vessel in Ghana once again demonstrates PIL’s determination to provide resilient, green, and sustainable shipping and logistics solutions for Africa and related regions.
