SHIPoWneRS


Staying nimble


Pacific International Lines (PIL) is one of the world’s top 20 largest container lines yet at the same time it has remained a remarkably nimble company specialising in niche markets.While PIL has moved into the mainline trades in recent years, the bulk of its business remains focused on regional trades inAsia, the Middle East andAfrica. Although these are areas that many of


the world’s largest container lines are now targeting for growth, SSTeo,managing director of PIL, believes the company has the edge over its competitors.He notes the company has been in the markets for over 40 years and, despite poor logistics infrastructure and port facilities in many of the locations it serves, has gone from strength to strength. Indeed last year saw PIL restarting its


multi-purpose service betweenAfrica and China, after 20 years of focusing solely on the container trades.“We are enhancing our position there,” he says. “Competition will always be there. People come, people go,we cannot stop


that. I still think that part of the reason we succeed is beacuse we are very nimble and very flexible. I think maybe some of the big lines may not be able to operate the way do,” he explains.On the other side of the coin smaller lines that try to operate in the way that PIL does will lack the network that it has behind it. The company is looking at further


expansion in the multi-purpose segment buying four secondhand vessels and is building 10 more, although two ships have


been taken by Pacific ShippingTrust for charter to Cosco.He notes markets such as India and the Mediterranean should offer growth for heavy lift and project cargo. While PIL’s focus is mainly on the


regional trades it is also expanding itsAsia – Europe offerings jointly withWan Hai Lines, with a second string betweenAsia and the Black Sea.The line is also adding a second string to east coast SouthAmerica with partners,NipponYusen Kaisha,Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Hyundai Merchant Marine.


Heavy lifter Sal in Singapore


explore more than 20 offshore oil fields. “TheVietnamese offshore market had


been very closed, but it is starting to open up,” he says, as increasing oil prices are encouraging exploration efforts at deeper waters, greater depths and more dangerous regions. SAL has become more active in the


Germany-based heavy lift firm SchiffahrtskontorAltes Land (SAL) opened a new office in Singapore, in January, a move that it sees will strengthen its presence in Asia. SAL's otherAsia-Pacfic offices include two


in China, and one each in Japan andAustralia. The new Singapore office has a team of sales staff as well as inhouse engineering support that are headed by managing director Andreas Rolner.


“We believe Singapore,with its very


stable economy, offers a good platform for companies to set up their offices,” saya Lars Rolner, also a managing director of SAL. He says the Singapore office will be able


to offer business network coverage for neighbouring Indonesia,Malaysia and Vietnam.He adds that theVietnamese market, in particular, holds massive potential for demand of heavy lift vessels and offshore equipment as the country is looking to


offshore business over the years through assisting various clients with their transportation and installation needs.With a stronger presence inAsia, the company will also concentrate on reinforcing ties with their existing clients and establish new relationships with companies related to the offshore oil and gas industry. During the first quarter, SAL put into


operation two heavy lift vessels with carrying capacity of 2,000 tonnes each – the world's biggest to date.The two heavy lifters, built at German yard JJ Sietas KG Schiffswerft at a cost of €120m ($164m), are equipped with a dynamic positioning system – a computer-controlled system for positioning the vessel in offshore operations.


Seatrade Singapore Report 2011


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