SCAC Code: PCIU
Founded: 1967
Corporate HQ: Singapore
Website: https://www.pilship.com/
Pacific International Line (PIL) is a shipping company incorporated in Singapore in March 1967, by Chang Yun Chung, who was the world’s oldest billionaire until 2020. PIL offers shipping services at over 500 locations in 100 countries worldwide.
PIL has developed from a coastal ship-owner/operator in Singapore to become one of the largest shipowners in Asia. Today, it is ranked 12th amongst the top containership operators in the world. PIL has diversified into logistics related activities such as supply chain management, consolidation/distribution facilities, warehousing, container depot operations, and trucking as well as having an interest in ship agencies worldwide, container manufacturing, and marine engineering.
PIL has a focus on China, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America and Oceania. Together with its sister companies Mariana Express Lines (MELL) and Malaysia Shipping Corporation (MSCorp), PIL serves customers at over 500 locations in more than 90 countries worldwide with a fleet of around 100 containers and multi-purpose vessels.
PIL is one of the very first foreign shipping lines to enter China before the opening of the country. Currently, PIL offers customers 23 container liner sailings a week out of China, and it has 25 registered branches in the country, including its regional headquarters in Shanghai. PIL also jointly owns and operates 18 logistics centres in China. Singamas Container Holdings, a company in the PIL group, has invested in five container manufacturing facilities in China.
Apart from China, PIL also has a strong presence in Africa. PIL started to serve Africa in the 1970s using general cargo vessels, and by the early 1990s, PIL upgraded its service to Africa with container vessels. Today, PIL’s services cover close to 30 countries in Africa, with a focus on East, West and South Africa, and has 12 container liner and feeder services a week out of Africa. This is supported by PIL’s agency network of 28 offices, and four logistics companies covering services such as depot (Egypt), warehousing (Egypt and Tanzania), and trucking (Sudan).