Specialist breakbulk and project heavy lift carrier AAL is expanding its multipurpose fleet with the addition of a number of modern and highly adaptive Warnow-Class (W-Class) 33,271 dwt ‘mega-size’ vessels. Representing 133,000 dwt / 156,000 cbm of additional capacity for AAL’s customers, the new vessels boost AAL’s operating tonnage to just shy of 740,000 dwt (excluding short term time charters) and strengthen its unique global customer offering and position as one of the sector’s largest and most service-driven carriers.
The vessels, four in total, will join AAL’s fleet from October and, alongside additional W-Class tonnage already employed in the fleet and multiple other MPV classes, they will boost the carrier’s global coverage, providing additional capacity on such important trades as: Asia – Australia; Asia – Middle East – Europe; and Asia – North America.
Large, modern and highly flexible, the W-Class perfectly complements AAL’s fleet mix strategy and its customers’ needs with their ability to accommodate multiple cargo types simultaneously – project cargo, breakbulk and dry bulk commodities – with five cargo holds (three with tweendecks) and a significant individual cargo in-take of 39,000 cbm.
This latest fleet expansion news comes on the eve of AAL’s 25-year anniversary and is a clear statement of intent to further strengthen its global trade coverage and already renowned niche market positioning, adding to its already varied fleet profile with ‘mega-size’ tonnage that offers shippers significant cargo intake volumes and economies of scale on every sailing.