Singapore-based Pacific International Lines (PIL) has ordered seven 1,400TEU methanol-ready container vessels from China's Huanghai Shipbuilding, PIL confirmed on Thursday, November 5.
The vessels are scheduled for delivery between 2029 and 2030. They will be deployed on feeder services within PIL's Intra-Asia and Pacific Islands network, connecting smaller ports with transshipment hubs.
Each ship will have a length of 172 metres and a beam of 25 metres. PIL said these dimensions were customised for the company’s target regional markets.
The ships will be fitted with pre-swirl vanes and propeller boss cap fins, which the company expects to improve propulsion efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.
They will also carry fixed water monitors and spray systems for firefighting in cargo holds, along with digital systems for performance monitoring.
PIL said the methanol readiness will allow the vessels to adopt lower-emission fuels as supply and bunkering infrastructure develop.
The order extends a fleet renewal programme that PIL said had increased its capacity by more than 50 per cent to approximately 500,000 TEUs.
Ten LNG dual-fuel ships had been delivered by the first half of 2026 while 18 additional LNG dual-fuel newbuilds and 14 long-term charter vessels are due through 2029.
