“The AAL Newcastle and her sister newbuild vessels, embody AAL’s commitment to continuous improvement and customer driven innovation; whose needs have been kept in the forefront of the design.  Combined with our award-winning engineering and operations teams, the Super B-Class vessels are already performing industry first operations –operations we are incredibly proud of,” commented Kyriacos Panayides, CEO, AAL Shipping.

Kyriacos Panayides, CEO,
AAL Shipping

“We would like to thank the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard and the designers who have helped bring these vessels into the market for Project Cargo marking a significant moment for AAL.  The relationship we have built with China’s premier shipyard over the last 3 decades and the sheer volume of vessels built at a Group Level, and with our partners, have enabled these building slots for AAL.”

Purpose built for heavy lift and complex project cargo, the 32,000dwt AAL Newcastle and AAL Mumbai (due for delivery in June 2026), will debut a series of significant technical improvements that elevate lifting performance and cargo flexibility.  Among the most notable advancements is an upgraded heavy-lift capability, increasing individual crane capacity from 350 to 400 tonnes.

“As cargo requirements evolve, particularly in the offshore renewable energy sector, our fleet must evolve with them,” commented Yahaya Sanusi, Deputy Head of AAL Engineering.  “The vessel’s increased combined lifting capacity of 800 tonnes will open opportunities previously beyond the fleet’s reach; longer tower sections can now be safely single-lifted to accelerate loading and discharge operations.  Every enhancement has been engineered around real operational challenges, ensuring we deliver the performance, safety and flexibility our customers expect.”

Yahaya Sanusi, 
Deputy Head of AAL Engineering

In addition to the increased 400 tonne crane capacity, AAL has introduced further design refinements across the four new vessels to support faster cargo operations and optimise deck utilisation.  The vessels will feature a new 26 metre lifting beam, an upgrade from the 20 metre beams deployed on earlier vessels, enabling the handling of elongated structures with greater ease and precision.  Additional enhancements to the main and auxiliary hooks, offer approximately one additional metre of outreach, expanding lifting envelopes and improving the handling of oversized project cargoes.

The 13 barges transported by ‘AAL Antwerp’ will be integrated into LHG Mining’s fleet.  They will operate along the Paraguay–Paraná waterway, and with a maximum intake of 3,200mts they will transport iron ore from the company’s operations in Mato Grosso do Sul to its export terminal in Nueva Palmira.

“This program is a strategic logistics investment for LHG Mining, and the safe shipment of each barge is a critical step in bringing new transport capacity to Brazil,” said Pablo Zengarini, International Logistics Specialist at LHG Mining.  “The coordination required across shipyard operations, river logistics on the Paraguay–Paraná waterway and ocean transport to Nueva Palmira is substantial, and the reliable execution at each stage is essential.”

Pablo Zengarini,
International Logistics Specialist,
LHG Mining

Following its return to full operation in 2025, Enseada Shipyard has rapidly re-established itself as one of Brazil’s most capable shipbuilding facilities.  The project has already generated 600 direct jobs and up to 900 indirect jobs, providing substantial economic stimulus to the Bahia region.  In total, around 80 barges will be built from the Enseada Shipyard.  With its newly established presence in South America, AAL’s Super B-Class fleet will facilitate the barge movements over the next year.

Leveraging the next-generation capabilities of AAL’s 32,000dwt Super B-Class vessels, combined with their EPC-grade engineering and operational expertise; this shipment represents another successful stage in the ongoing collaboration between AAL and LHG Mining.  The first shipment in the series was successfully completed in November 2025 by ‘AAL Hamburg’ and the partnership between AAL and LHG Mining has been one anchored in trust, support and seamless cooperation.

“These sailings reflect the kind of detailed engineering and project execution that complex industrial logistics programs demand,” said Eugene Nutovych, Senior Chartering Manager, AAL Americas. “We are pleased to support our customer and its partners as Brazil’s shipbuilding activity gains new momentum and as LHG Mining strengthens its integrated river and sea export chain.”

Eugene Nutovych,
Senior Chartering Manager,
AAL Americas

“The shiploader presented several complex engineering challenges, particularly around the lifting operation,” said the Global Head of Engineering at AAL Shipping, Nicola Pacifico. “To avoid any risk of structural damage, a vertical lift from the pad eyes was essential, while the operation also had to be carefully managed within tight height and clearance constraints caused by the nearby generator and access platform.”

The Intra-Asia trade corridor is now the world’s fastest growing regional trade segment, with intra-regional trade rising 43% over the past four decades and accounting for more than half of the region’s total trade. Southeast Asia is leading this transformation, shifting from labour-intensive industries toward advanced manufacturing in electronics, semiconductors and automative manufacturing. 

This evolution is partly fuelled by the ‘China Plus One’ strategy, as global companies diversify their supply chains across multiple Asian markets to enhance resilience. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) manufacturing value has grown steadily since 2016, with intra-ASEAN trade rebounding 7% in 2024 to reach nearly US$3.56 trillion in combined imports and exports.

The newly delivered shiploader will operate at the Mariveles Grain Corporation terminal, where it will form a crucial part of the terminal’s end-to-end grain handling system. With a discharge capacity of 10,000 tons per day, the unit will help stabilise grain import logistics and support the local food industry’s growth. 

Across Southeast Asia, more than US$110 billion in port infrastructure projects are currently underway – a reflection of the region’s booming trade and industrial activity. Globally, port spending is projected to reach US$207 billion by 2030. As these investments scale up, so too does the size and complexity of project cargo, driving increased demand for specialised heavy-lift and multipurpose vessel capacity.

“Our fleet is one of the most capable in the industry for lifting capacity, stowage flexibility and self-sufficiency, and AAL operates regular monthly services across Asia’s major trade lanes,” said Andrew Mangan, Chartering Manager, AAL Australia. “This enables customers to leverage scheduled long-haul services for Intra-Asia project cargo shipments.” 

Mangan added, “As regional manufacturing continues to diversify and ports expand to accommodate larger and more complex components, AAL is uniquely positioned to deliver the accountability, EPC-grade engineering and operational reliability these projects demand.”

Each of the 192 BESS units measured 3.1m in length, 2.66m in height, 2.06m in width, with each unit weighing 14 tons.  AAL’s A-Class vessel, AAL Brisbane, safely stowed the Category 9 BESS cargo on the 3,000m² upper deck across the hatch covers, in full compliance with stringent IMO Dangerous Goods regulations governing lithium-ion cargo. 

“A critical step in preparing the IMO-classified cargo for loading is the completion of all required ‘hot work’, including welding the D-rings used for lashing.”  Jack Zhou, AAL’s GM and Chief Representative of China, went on to explain; “on loading, it was essential that the stowage positioning and lashing plan was executed by our crew and Caro Superintendent (CSI) with precision to ensure the safe and efficient transportation of these units.”

The voyage was executed as part of AAL’s established Asia-Australia East Coast Liner Service (AUEC), which provides reliable, compliant, and efficient end-to-end transportation solutions for all manner of multipurpose cargo across the region – both small parcels and large heavy lift consignments.

AAL has built extensive experience handling BESS units for producers and other supply chain partners, having transported almost 3,000 units across 29 voyages in 2025 alone.  This strong track record is underpinned by the carrier’s dedicated teams worldwide, strict adherence to IMO Dangerous Goods rules, and detailed vessel stowage planning to ensure safe segregation, stability and safety throughout each voyage.
 

With the global energy transition accelerating, the scale of BESS deployment continues to grow.  By the end of 2025, global installed capacity exceeded 300 GWh, with rapid annual increases driving demand for specialist transport.  As containerised options for these heavy, sensitive units are phased out, reliance is increasing on MPV vessels with the deck strength, crane capacity, and technical expertise needed for safe handling.

The large-scale grid-connected battery development where the BESS units will be deployed, is on the site of a former power station marking a major step forward in supporting the transformation of retired sites into clean-energy facilities minimising the need for new land development.  The site will be designed to help stabilise the electricity grid as more renewable energy, such as wind and solar, comes online.  The project’s first stage will provide enough storage to supply almost 800,000 homes with electricity, with future stages set to boost capacity by more than 50%.  Strengthening the grid using BESS units will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and support Australia’s transition to a more sustainable energy future.
 

“Battery Energy Storage Systems are fundamental to the next phase of the global energy transition, and AAL is proud to support the landmark project”, added Zhou.  “As BESS unit sizes grow, regulations tighten and demand accelerates, AAL remains committed to investing in fleet capability, safety expertise, and schedule reliability to support our customers and the wider clean-energy supply chain.”

Demonstrating AAL’s expertise in bespoke tramp-chartering operations for their customer, American Shipping and Chartering (ASC), the project utilised one of the carrier’s highly versatile 19,000-deadweight S-Class heavy lift vessels, the AAL Dampier. With a combined maximum crane-lift capacity of 700 tonnes, three cargo holds, flexible tweendecks and an expansive weather deck, the vessel enabled a tailored stowage plan that maximised cargo capacity while ensuring compliance with safe-navigation visibility-line regulations for the tallest component, which measured almost 20 metres in height.

The cargo comprised a wide range of heavy lift and over-dimensional plant components, weighing up to and exceeding 100 tonnes.  AAL Dampier’s crane was taken to it’s limit with the tallest and heaviest unit – a chemical tank – requiring a 16-point rigging arrangement with specific slinging lengths.  Clearance was tight between the weather deck and the bottom of the unit.

Nicola Pacifico, AAL’s Head of Transport Engineering, explained “This shipment presented multiple technical challenges that required close collaboration between AAL’s chartering, operations and engineering teams. Measuring almost 20 metres in height, the tallest heavy-lift component required 16 rigging points with defined length specifications, taking the lift to the crane’s operating limit. With less than 500 mm of clearance between the weather deck and the unit, precision engineering and close oversight were essential. We deployed an on-site engineering team to supervise the operation and ensure a safe and successful delivery.”

Led by Perdaman Chemicals & Fertilisers, Project Ceres is a large-scale urea plant on the Burrup Peninsula, about 20 km northwest of Karratha, Western Australia. It is one of Australia’s largest downstream manufacturing projects, expected to cost around USD 4.5 billion, with the aim of enhancing food security and reducing the country’s reliance on imported fertilisers. Designed to produce approximately 2.3 million tonnes of urea annually, the facility will convert natural gas into urea, with gas supplied under a 20-year agreement with Woodside (with an option to extend).

Chris Yabsley, Chartering Manager at AAL Australia and based in its Brisbane office, added “This shipment is an excellent example of AAL’s ability to adapt our vessel deployment quickly and efficiently to meet any Australian project-cargo requirement, regardless of cargo size or schedule complexity. For this project, we redeployed the heavy-lift vessel AAL Dampier from her regular liner service to provide a dedicated tramp solution. She proved to be the ideal vessel for the operation, and we successfully loaded and discharged the cargo without incident or damage. The tailor-made engineering solution and precise transport execution demonstrated the full capability and commitment of our team.”

The barges being delivered by AAL will support local mining operations in harnessing inland waterways to transport iron and manganese ore from Brazil to Uruguay for export. They are expected to significantly increase capacity for more eco-efficient water-bound bulk transport and elevate Brazil’s presence in the global commodities market. The minerals will travel over 2,500km along the Paraguay – Paraná Waterway, a vital corridor linking Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay with the Atlantic Ocean.

Each barge measures 61 metres in length, 15 metres in width, and weighs 380-400 tonnes. They were loaded and stacked over several days in a transverse four-tier formation with a 15-metre overhang on each side of the AAL HAMBURG – a configuration rarely seen in the industry. As tough as it was to execute, this unique formation enabled the vessel to accommodate 16 barges on a single voyage (14 on deck and 2 in the hold), a volume previously impossible with other vessel types or conventional multipurpose cargo methodologies. Once again, AAL’s ECO-DECK retractable deck-extension system proved invaluable to this cargo operation.

“The significant cargo overhang on both the starboard and port sides created major stability challenges along the 3,400 km ocean passage between Northern Brazil and Uruguay. We spent many weeks developing a safe and efficient solution to meet the client’s objectives – and delivered it through forward thinking engineering, and close collaboration between AAL and the wider supply-chain. The AAL HAMBURG proved self-sustaining, using her own 700-tonne max-lift cranes to avoid costly and hard-to-source floating cranes and helping to deliver optimum operational efficiency, and safety throughout,” said Yahaya Sanusi, Deputy Head of AAL Engineering.

Eugene Nutovych, Senior Chartering Manager AAL Americas concluded, “This project has pushed boundaries, and we are immensely proud of what has been achieved. It has provided valuable experience and insights not only for AAL, but all supply chain partners involved – hugely important to the successful delivery of future project demands. “The production of high-grade iron and manganese ores is of huge commercial importance to the region – support, supporting the local economy and creating jobs. These barges will not only increase transport capacity in support of production but also help shift commodity transport from roads to a cleaner and much more efficient waterway solution.”