AAL Shipping (AAL) has completed the transport of three fully assembled Konecranes Gottwald ESP 10 mobile harbor cranes from Schiedam and Westdorpe, Netherlands, to ports in Mexico and Chile, according to the company's release.
The shipment, totaling over 220,000 freight tons, was carried aboard the 32,000 deadweight ton Super B-Class vessel, AAL Hamburg, utilizing an open hatch sailing configuration, marking a first for this vessel type.
Each crane weighs approximately 642 tonnes, measures 80.3 meters in length (including the jib), 15.5 meters in width, and 58.2 meters in height, with a maximum lifting capacity of 125 tonnes.
Two cranes were loaded in Schiedam, and the third in Westdorpe, using AAL Hamburg’s onboard heavy lift cranes, reaching a total cargo height of 104 meters during the lifts.
To accommodate the cranes' height, AAL developed a tank top stowage and open hatch sailing plan, allowing passage via the North Atlantic and the Panama Canal.
Yahaya Sanusi, Deputy Head of Transport Engineering at AAL, stated, “As project cargoes like port cranes continue to grow in size, they present unique challenges for shipping, particularly in terms of deck loading and clearance restrictions. The air draft may be so high that the vessel carrying these cargoes could not pass under bridges. When designing the Super B-Class, we addressed this issue by incorporating the open hatch capability. This enables us to load cargoes such as the Konecranes Gottwald ESP 10 mobile harbour cranes in the hold and sailing with the open hatch to reduce the total air draft by over 16 m.”
After loading, the crane jibs were lowered onto the deck in resting position for the 9,900 nautical mile (over 18,000 km) voyage. The open hatch configuration and Panama Canal route shortened the journey by approximately 2,800 nautical miles.
Upon arrival, the cranes were offloaded using AAL Hamburg’s heavy lift cranes, capable of a combined maximum payload of 700 tonnes.
Sanusi noted, “With previous Super B-Class sailings we have demonstrated our vessels’ impressive cargo intake capabilities and the benefits of our ECO-DECK design. This latest shipment underscores another key advantage of the Super B-Class: open hatch sailing for taller cargoes, allowing us to save time and money for our customers.”
AAL Shipping is a premium project heavy lift carrier specializing in long-haul project cargo solutions across various industries, including oil and gas, mining, energy, construction, and agriculture. With 30 years of experience, AAL operates a fleet of heavy lift multipurpose vessels (MPVs) with superior cargo intake and lifting capabilities up to 700 tonnes. The company offers monthly liner services and regular trade lane services connecting Oceania, Asia, India, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.
Konecranes is a global leader in material handling solutions, providing equipment and services for various industries, including ports, manufacturing, and logistics. The company offers a range of products, such as overhead cranes, hoists, and mobile harbor cranes.