Shandong Yard to Build Four Heavy-Lift Ships for Asia Break Bulk

Asia Break Bulk (ABB), the Singapore-based project cargo carrier within Hamburg’s COLI Group, has secured four 12,600-dwt multipurpose heavy-lift newbuildings through long-term agreements with Cyprus-based Schoeller Holdings. The ships will be built by China’s Shandong Port Marine Equipment Co. Ltd., with the first scheduled for delivery in October 2028. Announced on 2 November 2026, the programme will support ABB’s expansion into flexible worldwide tramp services, targeting complex cargoes and destinations with draft or port infrastructure constraints.

SDARI Design with 500-Tonne Lifting Capacity

Designated the ABB HL500 series, the four vessels are based on the Octopus 12.6 design developed by Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI). ABB’s published technical documentation identifies the Shandong yard as the builder. The delivery schedule calls for the first ship in the fourth quarter of 2028, followed by sister vessels in the first, second and third quarters of 2029.

Each vessel will carry two 250-tonne MacGregor TTS-NMF cranes capable of tandem lifts of up to 500 tonnes. A single box-shaped hold measuring more than 89 metres in length, 17.60 metres in width and 12.15 metres in height will accommodate long structures and large industrial equipment. A forward-mounted bridge and accommodation block will free up deck space for oversized cargo.

The design also provides for open-hatch sailing, offering an additional option for cargo that cannot fit fully inside the hold or be carried on the hatch covers. At 149.90 metres in overall length and 22.80 metres in beam, the vessels will have a summer draft of 8.20 metres, ice class 1A and a service speed of 15 knots. ABB says the design has been optimised for fuel efficiency, while the ice notation supports winter trading in ice-affected areas.

Direct Services Beyond Established Cargo Hubs

Founded in 2006, ABB marks its twentieth anniversary this year. Its established business has centred on semi-liner services connecting Asia and Europe for breakbulk, heavy-lift and project cargo. The new vessels will broaden its ability to arrange voyages around customer projects worldwide, extending its reach beyond that existing regional service base.

ABB General Manager Maximilian Fischer said customers increasingly want shorter transit times and direct access to ports with draft and infrastructure limitations. Smaller multipurpose vessels face challenges when competing with larger ships on economies of scale, he noted, but offer advantages in flexibility and accessibility. Avoiding transshipment can also reduce the time, cost and additional handling risks associated with moving cargo through intermediate ports.

For project cargo, those operational choices can materially affect the transport plan. Long, heavy or irregularly shaped items may require fresh lifting, securing and storage arrangements at each transfer point, alongside coordination with onward sailings and terminal resources. Where berth conditions permit, a geared multipurpose ship can reduce dependence on large shore-based cranes and carry cargo closer to its final destination. The combination of ship size, cargo space and lifting equipment therefore matters across the whole voyage.

Combining a Cargo Network with Fleet Investment Expertise

ABB’s position within COLI Group provides the commercial network behind the investment. COLI combines breakbulk and project cargo brokerage, project-focused freight forwarding and carrier services. Dedicated new tonnage will strengthen the group’s carrier activities and give its teams greater scope to align customer requirements, transport engineering and vessel deployment.

Schoeller Holdings is supporting the project with fleet development and financing expertise. Columbia Shipmanagement is supervising construction and will assume technical and crew management after delivery. The arrangement brings together ABB’s and COLI’s customer relationships and commercial operations with Schoeller’s vessel investment experience and Columbia’s management capabilities.

The parties have not disclosed the contract value or detailed ownership and financing arrangements. The long-term agreements link the carrier’s future capacity requirements with its partners’ fleet investment and management capabilities, providing a framework for deploying purpose-built tonnage.

Schoeller Continues Investment Across Vessel Sizes

The agreement extends Schoeller’s involvement in multipurpose and heavy-lift shipping. Its AAL Shipping business is also renewing its fleet at Chinese yards. During the naming of AAL Newcastle at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong, AAL announced two additional 32,000-dwt Super B-Class vessels, AAL Tianjin and AAL Miami. The company said they would join the fleet in early 2028, taking the series to ten ships.

AAL Newcastle and AAL Mumbai incorporate an increase in individual crane capacity from the earlier ships’ 350 tonnes to 400 tonnes, raising maximum combined lifting capacity to 800 tonnes. Compared with ABB’s smaller 12,600-dwt, 500-tonne-lift vessels, the AAL ships provide a different combination of cargo capacity and lifting capability. The two programmes illustrate how investment in project cargo shipping can address different shipment sizes, trading patterns and port requirements.

Turning Vessel Capability into Customer Service

For ABB, the commercial rationale is closely tied to the transport tasks the ships can perform. Heavy-lift cranes, a long box-shaped hold, open-hatch capability and available deck space address different constraints posed by complex cargo. Flexible worldwide deployment gives the carrier more options for matching those capabilities to individual projects. As deliveries begin in 2028, cargo sourcing, voyage planning and execution will determine how effectively the new ships translate into business. The programme establishes a delivery schedule through 2029 and a clearer fleet foundation for ABB’s wider international services.