Singapore's Pacific International Lines (PIL) has ordered eight big box ships for China's Jiangsu Yangzijiang Shipyard across the river and upstream from Shanghai.

Four will be wide-beam postpanamax vessels of 9,700 TEU and four will be 11,800 TEUers - by far the largest ships in the PIL fleet, reported Alphaliner.

Today, PIL's biggest ship are six 6,600-TEUers on the Far East-Red Sea run. PIL is also receiving 12 geared newbuildings of 3,889 TEU from China's Dalian Shipyard, of which nine are already delivered, for deployment on PIL's Asia-West African service.