Shipping firm Pacific International Lines (PIL) has completed its first simultaneous cargo and LNG bunkering operations (SIMOPS) in Singapore.

The 8,200 TEU container ship, Kota Ocean, took on LNG bunkers at PSA’s Brani Terminal with LNG supplied by TotalEnergies, the firm said in a LinkedIn post on Monday.

“This landmark operation marks a major step forward in efficiency and sustainability:  SIMOPS saves time — bunkering 4000cbm alone is estimated to take about 15 hours,” it said.

The Kota Ocean is the sixth dual-fuel vessel in PIL’s fleet, with 12 more to join over the next three years.

The company plans to operate these ships on LNG as a transition fuel before switching to cleaner variants such as bio-methane and bio-LNG.

Bio-LNG, produced from waste-based feedstocks including manure, food waste, and agricultural residues, offers a lower-carbon alternative to fossil LNG and can be used in existing dual-fuel LNG vessels without significant modifications.