The Singaporean container carrier Pacific International Lines (PIL) has announced the launch of two new initiatives, aiming to enhance its operational efficiencies and strengthen the capabilities of its sea crew in navigation safety.
The first initiative launched is the opening of its new Centre for Maritime Efficiency (CME).
“The key role of CME is to enable PIL to grow its competencies in managing ship and fleet energy-efficiency performance as part of PIL’s commitment to lowering its carbon footprint,” said the company in a statement.
The CME’s responsibilities include traffic optimisation and route analysis aimed at minimising energy usage by PIL’s fleet. The CME will be equipped with a digital system that houses all relevant operational data and applications in a single platform to facilitate comprehensive, centralised and efficient coordination.
With the new CME, PIL expects to be able to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated from its operations, enhance fleet safety and security, maximise cost-effectiveness through efficient traffic and route-based management of its fleet and provision more training berths for its seafarers.
Lars Kastrup, CEO of PIL, said, “The rolling out of this new Centre for Maritime Efficiency is timely as we forge ahead to become a more efficient shipping line committed to reducing our carbon footprint.”
In addition, PIL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore Polytechnic’s Centre of Excellence in Maritime Safety (CEMS) to collaborate on a “Training with Technology” project.
This project aims to leverage the latest technologies to enhance the competency of seafarers in safe navigation through technical and soft skills training.
PIL believes that by imparting future seafarers with soft skills, like situational awareness and decision-making skills, the risk of incidents would be reduced.
PIL and CEMS will jointly explore the effectiveness of using immersive, simulation and remote technology to deliver safety-related and ship navigation training in demanding traffic and sea states. The data and knowledge collected from this project will be utilised for research and collaboration between the two partners towards the objective of strengthening the standards of maritime safety.
“We have over 4,000 seafarers working with PIL and their safety, health and wellbeing are of utmost importance to us. The long-running pandemic has also made us more cognizant of the crucial role that seafarers play in ensuring the smooth running of the global supply chain. We are confident that this partnership with Singapore Polytechnic will contribute towards strengthening our seafarers’ ability to conduct safe navigation and operations,” commented Kastrup.
