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SAL Heavy Lift is expanding its presence in the specialised deck carrier segment with the acquisition of two semi submersible vessels, MV Sun Shine and MV Sun Rise, from South Korean owner Pan Ocean. The vessels will join the fleet between October 2025 and April 2026 and will operate commercially within the JSI Alliance.
The move effectively doubles the company’s capacity in the semi submersible deck carrier segment and reflects growing demand for vessels capable of transporting floating cargo and oversized project components.
The acquisitions follow SAL’s long term charter of the semi submersible deck carriers MV Zhong Ren 121 and MV Zhong Ren 122, which entered the fleet in 2023.
Expanding options for offshore and project cargo
Demand for specialised deck carriers has increased as offshore energy, heavy infrastructure, and floating cargo projects continue to expand worldwide. Semi submersible deck carriers play a crucial role in these operations because they allow floating structures to be loaded by partially submerging the vessel’s deck.
According to Matthieu Moerman, Director Renewables and Offshore at the JSI Alliance, feedback from project clients played a key role in the decision.
“We have listened closely to our clients during the operation of the Zhong Ren vessels and recognised a growing demand for additional tonnage and greater operational flexibility,” Moerman said.
“With four vessels now in this segment, we can offer our clients more robust services and tailored solutions for large scale and complex projects.”
One particular advantage highlighted by Moerman is the origin of one of the vessels. MV Sun Shine was built in South Korea rather than China, a factor that may offer flexibility when navigating tariffs and trade restrictions that sometimes affect Chinese built tonnage.
Vessel specifications and capabilities
The two vessels bring slightly different technical profiles but share the core capability required for transporting floating cargo and oversized structures.
MV Sun Shine, built in Korea in 2008, has a deadweight tonnage of 17,113 tonnes and a deck measuring 148 by 48 metres. The vessel can submerge its deck to a maximum draught of 7.05 metres, allowing floating cargo to be loaded directly onto the deck. Its uniform deck strength is rated at 18 tonnes per square metre and the vessel operates at an average service speed of nine knots.
MV Sun Rise, built in China in 2012, offers a larger carrying capacity with a deadweight tonnage of 24,629 tonnes. The deck measures 134 by 44 metres with a maximum submerged deck draught of 7.5 metres. Its deck strength reaches 20 tonnes per square metre and the vessel has an average service speed of 9.5 knots.
Both vessels are designed for global operations and will support complex heavy transport projects including floating energy infrastructure, offshore equipment, and oversized industrial cargo.
Renaming vessels within the Harren Group fleet
Following the acquisition and delivery, the ships will be renamed MV Luisa and MV Alma.
The new names reflect a long standing tradition within the group. The vessels are named after the daughters of two colleagues working within the Harren Group.
Strategic fleet positioning
For Dr Martin Harren, CEO of the Harren Group and SAL Heavy Lift, the acquisitions strengthen the group’s ability to cover a broad range of project cargo requirements.
“These two vessels are of significant importance to our group,” Harren said. “They allow us to broaden our service spectrum from smaller MPP vessels with lifting capacities of 300 tonnes and 7,700 deadweight tonnes to large semi submersible deck carriers with almost 25,000 deadweight tonnes.”
The strategy aims to position the company across the entire multipurpose and heavy lift segment by offering clients access to a wider mix of tonnage depending on cargo size and project requirements.
Alongside the fleet expansion, SAL also plans to increase staffing in its sales, engineering, and operations departments. The company confirmed that teams in Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Singapore will be expanded to support the growing number of complex project shipments handled by the fleet.
