ABS and PIL ink collaboration deal on green and safe shipping

Classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has joined forces with Singapore-based shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL) to work together on projects concerning maritime technology, sustainability and safety management systems.

As informed, under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) the two parties signed at a maritime event held in Singapore, ABS and PIL plan to exchange technical knowledge and jointly explore innovative maritime technologies for ‘safer and greener’ shipping.

The ABS Technology and Singapore Innovation Research Center are reportedly going to provide modeling and simulation solutions to support PIL’s new vessel constructions as well as the retrofitting processes of the company’s existing ships.

At the same time, according to ABS, its sustainability specialists will work with PIL to craft a strategy oriented toward energy efficiency and implement ‘practical’ decarbonization measures that boost environmental performance.

As a result, the partnership could enable the Singaporean shipping player to sharpen the resilience and competitiveness of its fleet in the wake of global environmental guidelines, the US-based classification society elaborated.

“To make meaningful progress in this era of rapid change, we need strategic industry collaborations like this one with PIL. We look forward to capitalizing on our unique strengths and capabilities in maritime compliance and cutting-edge technologies to advance safety, emissions reduction and operational efficiency,” Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman and CEO, remarked.

As disclosed, another ‘vital’ focus area of the MoU is safety. To this end, ABS has shared that it plans to provide guidance for Port State Control improvements as well as ‘enhancing’ security standards.

PIL’s Chief Executive Officer Lars Kastrup highlighted: “This MOU supports our plans to future-proof our fleet. Partnering with ABS allows us to leverage world-class expertise to drive innovation, advance decarbonization, and enhance safety management.”

Over the years, Pacific International Lines has endeavored to keep pace with worldwide sustainability regulations. This was done through ‘diverse’ efforts, like seeking strategic partnerships, exploring eco-friendly technologies and creating an environmentally conscious fleet.

It is understood that the company has booked 18 newbuild vessels since 2022. A solid number of these vessels are powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Additionally, as Offshore Energy reported earlier, PIL has four 8,000 TEU, five 13,000 TEU, and five 9,000 TEU ships on order.

In late February 2025, PIL welcomed the 14,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel Kota Ebony. This was the third unit in a series of four boxships constructed by Jiangnan Shipyard in China. Just shy of three weeks after that, the company rolled the red carpet for the fourth newbuilding, the Kota Embun.