AAL Shipping successfully completed the challenging task of transporting a 560-tonne crane body from Kobe, Japan, to New Orleans, USA. The shipment was carried out on the heavy-lift vessel AAL Kembla, which is part of the company’s Asia – Americas Trade Lane Service. The operation required meticulous planning, quick thinking, and significant engineering expertise to overcome the challenges posed by the immense size and complex load configuration of the crane.
The consignment consisted of not only the 560-tonne crane body but also a 60-tonne crane boom and five massive grab buckets, each weighing over 100 tonnes. These heavy components were intended for Curtin Maritime, a USA-based marine solutions company. The crane body itself measured an impressive 20.14 meters in length, 15.5 meters in width, and 19 meters in height, making it one of the largest cargoes ever to be moved along this trade route.
The shipment’s journey began when a barge carrying the components arrived in Kobe, where it was carefully loaded onto the AAL Kembla. The loading process was no small feat. With the vessel’s two heavy-lift cranes, each with a 350-tonne capacity, AAL engineers devised a plan to distribute the weight evenly. The cranes were deployed in tandem, lifting 302 tonnes and 258 tonnes respectively, ensuring the safe positioning of each unit on the vessel.
However, the team faced additional challenges when adverse weather conditions threatened to delay the operation. To ensure timely departure and maintain safety, AAL’s engineering team swiftly adjusted the lifting plan. Nicola Pacifico, Head of Transport Engineering at AAL, explained, “Our team’s swift response in modifying the lifting plan was critical to avoiding delays and maintaining safety standards.” This flexibility allowed the vessel to stay on schedule and arrive in New Orleans as planned by the end of December 2024.
Upon arrival, the original plan was to discharge the cargo using a floating crane onto a client’s crane barge. However, a last-minute change in requirements led to the decision to use AAL Kembla’s heavy-lift cranes once again, this time to unload the cargo onto a material barge. The sheer size and weight of the components added another layer of complexity to the discharge operation, prompting AAL to conduct multiple stability simulations to ensure safety during each phase.
Henrik Hansen, General Manager of AAL Americas, praised the team’s adaptability and collaboration. “This successful heavy-lift cargo operation stands as a testament to AAL’s ability to stay flexible and harness its engineering expertise in overcoming complex logistical challenges,” said Hansen. “Effective communication and flexibility from both sides played a huge role in executing this shipment flawlessly.”
This operation highlights AAL Shipping’s ability to handle complex, large-scale logistics while adhering to tight schedules and maintaining safety standards. The shipment also reinforces the reliability of AAL’s regular Asia-Americas Trade Route, a key factor in why customers continue to choose the company for their project cargo needs.
