AAL Shipping has unveiled the inaugural vessel of its revolutionary Super B-Class fleet, the ‘AAL Limassol’, marking a significant milestone in the realm of heavy lift shipping. The vessel was christened during a formal ceremony at the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company in Quanzhou, China, on Friday, 26th April, and is poised to embark on its maiden voyage from China to Europe.
The ‘AAL Limassol’, boasting a deadweight of 32,000 tonnes, is primed to carry a diverse range of project heavy lift cargo, including two 135-meter-long barges weighing 1,650 tonnes each and fifteen 80.5-meter-long wind blades.
Kyriacos Panayides, CEO of AAL Shipping, lauded the collaborative effort that brought the vessel to fruition, emphasizing the partnership between AAL’s engineering team, CSSC, SDARI design team, Columbia Ship Management (CSM), and project customers. Panayides stated, “We have produced a unique fleet of vessels that marks a new era for AAL and sets new standards for the project heavy lift shipping sector.”
The vessel’s name pays homage to Cyprus’ prominent shipping hub, with the ceremony graced by Her Excellency Marina Hadjimanolis, Shipping Deputy Minister for the Cyprus Republic, who commended the vessel’s addition to the Cyprus flag registry.
AAL’s Super B-Class fleet represents the carrier’s commitment to innovation and customer-centric strategy, with the ‘AAL Limassol’ being the first of six vessels designed to redefine the industrial project sector. Notable features include a forward-positioned bridge and accommodation block for enhanced visibility when transporting tall cargoes, a 700-tonne maximum lift capacity, dual fuel capability for sustainability, and the groundbreaking retractable ‘AAL ECO-DECK,’ expanding the weather deck’s cargo stowage space.
Yahaya Sanusi, Deputy Head of AAL Shipping’s Transport Engineering Department, highlighted the vessel’s versatility in accommodating larger and taller cargoes, catering to diverse industry sectors such as wind, infrastructure, oil and gas, and mining. Sanusi affirmed, “The design has synthesized the best of what is possible for a multi-purpose project vessel.”
The ‘AAL Limassol’ signifies a paradigm shift in heavy lift shipping, with its maiden voyage already booked to nearly full capacity, underscoring market anticipation and validating AAL’s customer strategy and collaborative efforts.
