AAL Shipping Unveils AAL Newcastle

By Simon West

AAL Shipping has unveiled the latest in its series of Super B-Class vessels, AAL Newcastle, at a ceremony at the CSSC Huangpu-Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, China.

The carrier used the occasion to reveal further fleet growth plans, confirming that two additional Super B-Class vessels, AAL Tianjin and AAL Miami, would join the fleet in early 2028, upping the number of ships in the series to 10.

CEO Kyriacos Panayides said the newbuild program reflects a focus on “continuous improvement and customer driven innovation,” highlighting the role of AAL’s engineering and operations teams in delivering what he described as “industry-first operations.”

“We would like to thank 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,” he said. “The relationship we have built with China’s premier shipyard over the last three decades and the sheer volume of vessels built at a group level, and with our partners, have enabled these building slots for AAL.”

Built for heavy-lift and complex cargoes, the 32,000 DWT, dual-fuel AAL Newcastle — alongside sister ship AAL Mumbai, slated for delivery in June 2026 — introduces a series of technical upgrades aimed at boosting performance and flexibility.

Chief among these is an increase in individual crane capacity from 350 to 400 tonnes, enabling a combined lifting capacity of up to 800 tonnes.

According to Yahaya Sanusi, deputy head of AAL Engineering, the enhanced lifting power is designed to meet evolving cargo demands, particularly in the offshore renewable energy sector. “Longer tower sections can now be safely single lifted to accelerate loading and discharge operations,” he said.

Further refinements across the four new vessels include a longer 26-meter lifting beam, up from 20 meters on earlier models, allowing for more efficient handling of elongated structures. Enhancements to hook outreach also increase operational flexibility, helping crews manage increasingly large and complex project shipments.

AAL Shipping will be exhibiting at Breakbulk Europe 2026.