Pacific International Lines has moved a step closer to its next phase of fleet renewal, signing letters of intent for eight LNG dual-fuel neo-panamax container ships in a deal split between Chinese and South Korean yards.
The Singapore-based liner operator has selected Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in China and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea to each build four 13,000 teu vessels, according to multiple shipbuilding and market sources. Deliveries are pencilled in for 2028 and 2029.
The carrier, ranked 12th globally by capacity, has been in talks with the yards since last year as it weighed up its next round of fleet investments.
The eight ships form part of a wider newbuilding push valued at around $1.5bn, aimed at modernising the fleet and cutting emissions. The LNG dual-fuel vessels are designed to trade on major east–west and regional routes, giving PIL more flexibility as environmental rules tighten and fuel strategies evolve.
The latest LOIs build on an already busy orderbook. PIL currently has 23 ships on order, including 12 LNG-powered units — five of 13,000 teu and seven of 9,000 teu — all contracted at Hudong-Zhonghua’s Jiangnan Changxing facilities, according to Alphaliner data.
With the neo-panamax series, market sources suggest PIL is clearly leaning into LNG as a transition fuel, pairing larger, more efficient hulls with cleaner propulsion as it reshapes its fleet for the next decade.
