PIL names fourth 14,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel containership in China

Singapore-based shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL) has named its fourth 14,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel containership built by Jiangnan Shipyard in China.

The newbuild was named Kota Embun during a ceremony held on March 10 in Shanghai.

According to PIL, Kota Embun is the first vessel in its fleet to feature a bow windshield for improved aerodynamics, which is expected to reduce fuel consumption and corresponding emissions by 1% per annum on the Far East to West Coast Central and South America Service 2 route that the vessel will ply.

Lars Kastrup, CEO of PIL, commented: “The naming of Kota Embun, our fourth “E” Class vessel is testament to the excellent progress we are making in our fleet renewal drive and journey towards greener shipping. We have another 14 new vessels of various capacities, equipped with LNG dual-fuel technology and other advancements.

“Each new vessel brings us closer to our goal of operating a more modern and environmentally-friendly fleet. They enhance our ability to better meet global trade demands and support our customers with wider and more efficient services.”

The 14,000 TEU vessel is part of PIL’s E Class series – the first in PIL’s fleet to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The vessels in this series are equipped with GTT’s Mark III LNG containment system and feature a high container intake as well as various energy-saving technologies such as hull coatings, an optimized hull form, and variable frequency drive motors.

The ships will also use artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), which will increase the automation of tasks and enable better monitoring and planning of the vessels’ operations and routes through PIL’s Centre for Maritime Efficiency.

The shipping company has ordered a total of 18 newbuild vessels since 2022. In addition to the four 14,000 TEU vessels, PIL has another four 8,000 TEU, five 13,000 TEU, and five 9,000 TEU vessels on order.