Pacific International Lines has stepped up its fleet renewal programme with the naming of the first two vessels in a 13-ship series of 13,000-TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai, according to Pacific International Lines.
Kota Elok and Kota Elan were named on 23 June 2026 as PIL moves to add capacity on its Asia-South America service, a trade lane the Singapore carrier says is seeing strong and sustained growth.
The ships were built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co Ltd and are intended to modernise PIL’s fleet, lift competitiveness and expand capacity while improving efficiency and sustainability.
Both vessels can operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil. PIL said their deployment supports its target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
The ships include an optimised hull form, energy-efficient systems, hull coatings, artificial intelligence and internet of things capabilities to improve operational performance and onboard automation. Kota Elok also has a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency on long-haul voyages.
