Asia Break Bulk Orders Four 500t Heavy-Lift Newbuilds

Asia Break Bulk has signed long-term agreements with Schoeller Holdings for four new 12,600 DWT multipurpose project cargo vessels, each offering tandem lifting capacity of up to 500 tonnes.

The Singapore-based carrier, part of Hamburg-based COLI Group, will take delivery of the first Octopus-type vessel in October 2028, followed by three sister ships.

Designed by CSSC-SDARI, each vessel will be equipped with two 250-tonne cranes capable of working together on lifts of up to 500 tonnes.

A single box-shaped cargo hold extending more than 89 metres will provide space for long and oversized project cargoes, while the bridge-forward layout increases available deck area for out-of-gauge loads.

The vessels will also carry Ice Class 1A notation, allowing operation in ice-affected waters during winter, and are designed for a service speed of 15 knots with a focus on fuel efficiency.

Asia Break Bulk says the new tonnage is intended to strengthen direct project cargo services between Asia, Europe and other regional markets, particularly where customers require access to ports with draft or infrastructure limitations.

“We are seeing increasing demand from our customers for shorter transit times and direct access to ports and destinations with draft and infrastructure limitations,” said Maximilian Fischer, General Manager at Asia Break Bulk.

He added that smaller multipurpose vessels can provide greater flexibility for long, heavy and complex cargoes by reducing the need for transshipment and additional handling.

“For us, this investment is not simply about adding four vessels to our fleet. It is about strengthening our capabilities, responding to evolving customer requirements and ensuring that we can confidently say ‘yes’ to the increasingly complex transport challenges our customers will bring us in the years ahead,” said Maximilian Fischer, General Manager at Asia Break Bulk.

Schoeller Holdings is supporting the project through fleet development and financing, while Columbia Shipmanagement will supervise construction and later provide technical and crew management.

The investment comes as Asia Break Bulk marks its 20th anniversary in 2026 and expands its heavy-lift and project cargo capabilities within COLI Group.

“Our colleagues at Asia Break Bulk have spent twenty years earning the trust of customers between Asia and Europe, and as a group we want to back that team with modern, purpose-built tonnage,” said Felix Peinemann, Managing Director of COLI Group.