AAL Names New Super B-Class Vessel

AAL Shipping officially named its latest Super B-Class vessel, AAL Newcastle, at the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, China, marking a key milestone in its fleet expansion strategy.

The ceremony also saw the announcement of two additional vessels, AAL Tianjin and AAL Miami, scheduled for delivery in early 2028. This will expand the Super B-Class fleet to ten vessels.

Designed for heavy lift and complex project cargo, the 32,000 dwt AAL Newcastle and sister vessel AAL Mumbai (due in June 2026) feature enhanced lifting capabilities, with crane capacity increased from 350 to 400 tonnes. The combined lifting capacity of 800 tonnes is expected to enable more efficient handling of larger cargo, including single lifts of longer structures used in sectors such as offshore wind.

Further design upgrades include a new 26-metre lifting beam—up from 20 metres on earlier vessels—and improvements to hook outreach, enhancing flexibility and cargo handling precision.

According to AAL, the Super B-Class vessels have been developed with a strong focus on operational efficiency and evolving customer requirements, particularly in the renewable energy and project cargo sectors.