- AAL Shipping, a leading multipurpose carrier, has announced the order of two additional 32,000 dwt Super B-class vessels, expanding its new building order to a total of eight ships. This strategic move underscores AAL Shipping’s commitment to enhancing its fleet capabilities and service levels on major global shipping routes.
The newly ordered vessels, named AAL Newcastle and AAL Mumbai, will feature an increased maximum heavy lift capability of 800 tonnes, which is 100 tonnes higher than the initial Super B-class design. This enhancement will enable the ships to handle even larger and heavier cargoes, addressing the evolving needs of the industry.
Methanol-Enabled Operations
A significant advancement in these new buildings is their methanol-enabled operation, allowing them to utilize methanol as a fuel from day one. This aligns with AAL Shipping’s commitment to sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of its operations.
Performance Milestones
AAL Shipping’s first Super B-class vessel, AAL Limassol, was christened in April 2024. The vessel is set to break the carrier’s performance records with over 77,000 freight tons of cargo booked for its maiden voyage from Asia to Europe. The diverse cargo includes two 135-meter-long barges weighing 1,650 and 1,425 tonnes, 80.5-meter-long wind blades, modules, trucks, transformers, and a dismantled crane.
Strategic Significance
Kyriacos Panayides, CEO of AAL Shipping, highlighted the strategic importance of this expansion, stating, “This is a strategic move to strengthen our global industrial projects foothold and boost our capacity and service levels on major shipping lanes connecting Oceania, Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.” The increased heavy lift capability and unique design of these vessels will enable AAL Shipping to accommodate larger and more complex cargoes, enhancing its competitive edge in the market.
Christophe Grammare, Managing Director of AAL Shipping, emphasized the significance of these advancements, noting, “The combination of these new ships’ unique design, cargo handling technologies, and heavy lift capabilities allows them to accommodate far bigger and heavier cargoes of tomorrow, ones that until now may have been out of our reach.” This expansion marks a critical step in AAL Shipping’s mission to provide superior service and innovative solutions in the maritime industry, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of global shipping and logistics.
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Source: Safety4sea
