Under pressure Pacific International Lines’ (PIL) is withdrawing its services from the transpacific market. The Singapore line’s last transpacific sailing will be next month. The decision comes as part of a wider strategic review at the SS Teo-led company which will see PIL, the world’s ninth largest liner, focus on strengthening its position in the North-South trades such as Africa, Middle East / Red Sea, India Sub-Continent, Latin America, and Oceania.
PIL’s financial health has been repeatedly questioned in recent months. In December, one of its boxships was detained in Durban, with a spokesman at the time saying the detention was the result of “a misunderstanding which was quickly clarified and resolved”.
PIL, with 392,000 slots in its box fleet, is the largest containerline not signed up to any of the big three global liner alliances.
