On its 30th anniversary, AAL Shipping (AAL) has officially named its fifth Super B-Class vessel, the ‘AAL Dubai’. The ceremony took place on March 12 at the CSSC Huangpu-Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, China, attended by key figures from the local multipurpose vessel (MPP) supply chain.
The ‘AAL Dubai’ is a 32,000 deadweight tonnage (dwt) multipurpose heavy lift vessel, designed with methanol-ready capabilities. This addition underscores AAL’s dedication to innovation and excellence in global project shipping. The vessel’s name pays tribute to Dubai, a premier project cargo hub in the Middle East, where AAL has maintained a regional office since 2015. This gesture reinforces the company’s commitment to the region and its tailored shipping services.
The Middle East has witnessed unprecedented growth in the project sector. In 2024 alone, a record-breaking USD 264 billion worth of contracts were awarded—a 6.5% increase from the previous year. Liew Teck Liong, Chief Financial Officer at AAL, commented, “Naming one of our new Super B-Class vessels after Dubai underscores our dedication to the region, aligning with both the 10th anniversary of our Dubai office and the 30th anniversary of the company.”
The ‘AAL Dubai’ is engineered to transport a diverse range of cargo, including heavy lift project equipment, breakbulk, and dry bulk, all within a single voyage. Equipped with three 350-tonne cranes, it boasts a combined lifting capacity of 700 tonnes. This design offers superior efficiency, cargo flexibility, and economies of scale to shippers worldwide.
Following its naming, the vessel is set to embark on its maiden voyage, joining its sister vessels—’AAL Limassol’, ‘AAL Hamburg’, ‘AAL Houston’, and ‘AAL Antwerp’—in serving project cargo customers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. Notably, the ‘AAL Limassol’ recently completed a record-breaking voyage, delivering over 89,000 freight tons of multipurpose cargo in a single trip.
AAL’s Super B-Class fleet is part of a broader strategy to enhance its service capabilities. The company has now surpassed the halfway mark in its Super B-Class deliveries, with the vessels already in service exceeding expectations. Liew added, “With these vessels, we have achieved both company and industry firsts, and we look forward to redefining what a heavy lift, multipurpose vessel can accomplish as we deploy them for complex cargo challenges.”
Looking ahead, AAL plans to take delivery of the ‘AAL Dammam’ later this year, followed by the ‘AAL Newcastle’ and ‘AAL Mumbai’, both of which will feature an increased maximum heavy lift capability of 800 tonnes.
This expansion reflects AAL’s proactive approach to meeting the evolving demands of the global project cargo market, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the industry.
