Jiangnan Shipbuilding’s two LNG dual-fuel container ships were named in Shanghai on the same day
On October 15, in Shanghai, the China Shipbuilding Group’s Jiangnan Shipyard held a dual naming ceremony for two 14,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships constructed for Pacific International Lines (PIL). The first vessel was named “KOTA EAGLE,” while the second one was dubbed “KOTA EMERALD.” The delivery of KOTA EAGLE took place on the same day.
During the ceremony, Lars Kastrup, CEO of Pacific International Lines, emphasized that this project marks the inaugural collaboration between Jiangnan Shipyard and PIL in the construction of new vessels. He noted that the high-quality and efficient delivery of the first ship establishes a strong foundation for future cooperation between the two companies. With the addition of KOTA EAGLE, PIL now boasts the largest container ship in its fleet, significantly enhancing its shipping capacity and market competitiveness. This ship also represents one of the first in PIL’s fleet capable of operating on LNG fuel.
The series comprises four vessels, each measuring 335 meters in length and 51 meters in width, specifically designed as part of Jiangnan Shipyard’s KUN-14N series, which emphasizes efficiency and environmental sustainability. The vessels utilize the MARKⅢ fuel tank, allowing compatibility with ammonia fuel, and are equipped with an advanced intelligent control exhaust gas recirculation (iCER2.0) system. This system can dynamically adjust the air and gas ratio through specialized algorithms, achieving a 50% reduction in methane slip in gas mode and more than a 28% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to previous models.
Remarkably, this large dual-fuel container ship was built using a revamped labor model and lean production techniques, resulting in a dock construction cycle of just three months. Furthermore, the vessel was transitioned from the dock to delivery in just 3.5 months. The innovative use of simulated container stacking technology allowed for successful inspections to be carried out within the dock. Jiangnan Shipyard has thus become the first shipyard in the world to achieve this engineering application of simulated stacking, setting a new industry benchmark.
Additionally, during the development process, high-precision CFD technology and AI optimization algorithms were employed to overcome traditional design limitations. Utilizing the RFLP development process, the ship’s overall structure and cargo securing systems were optimally laid out within a three-dimensional digital design platform. The performance metrics of this innovative vessel have been validated to meet national leading standards.
PIL operates a fleet of approximately 100 container ships, providing shipping services and solutions to customers across over 500 destinations in more than 90 countries worldwide.