AAL Shipping orders two more super B-class vessels

The Singapore-headquartered AAL Shipping (AAL) has named its latest super B-class vessel, AAL Newcastle, at the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, China.

The ceremony also served as the backdrop for the ordering of two further super B-class vessels. AAL Tianjin and AAL Miami, will join the fleet in early 2028, expanding the class to ten ships in total.

Purpose built for heavy lift and complex project cargo, the 32,000-dwt AAL Newcastle and AAL Mumbai (due for delivery in June 2026), will debut a series of significant technical improvements.

Among the most notable advancements is an upgraded heavy-lift capability, increasing individual crane capacity from 350 to 400 tonnes.

In addition to the increased 400 tonne crane capacity, AAL has introduced further design refinements across the four new vessels to support faster cargo operations and optimise deck utilisation. According to AAL, the vessels will feature a new 26 metre lifting beam, an upgrade from the 20 metre beams deployed on earlier vessels, enabling the handling of elongated structures with greater ease and precision.

Additional enhancements to the main and auxiliary hooks, offer approximately