Find out more about the finalists for the Ship Operator of the Year – Heavy Lift & Project Cargo Award, sponsored by Trans Global Projects, and have your say by voting on the Heavy Lift Awards website.
Sponsored by Trans Global Projects, this award recognises a ship operator whose core business lies in the transportation of heavy lift and project cargoes.
Our expert judging panel has selected this year’s finalists – and now it’s your turn to have a say. Cast your vote on the Heavy Lift Awards website and help determine the winner of the 2025 title, with public votes weighted alongside the judges’ scores.
Our 2025 shortlist:
AAL Shipping
For AAL Shipping, 2024/2025 marked innovation and record-setting voyages with its in-house engineered Super B-Class fleet – 256,000 total deadweight – designed to transport complex project cargoes previously deemed impossible. Featuring the revolutionary retractable ‘AAL ECO-DECK’, open-hatch sailings for ultra-tall units, flexible hold configurations, enhanced deck strength, 90,000+ FRT intake, advanced crane outreach and fuel-efficiency, they underscore AAL’s sustainability focus and commitment to the heavy lift and project cargo sector. With operational foresight, long-term fleet planning, and customer-first ethos, AAL increased sailings from key Asian ports, launched its ‘Asia–Europe Express Service,’ and provided a consistent monthly frequency across all its trade lanes – delivering trusted multipurpose cargo solutions throughout an unpredictable time.
BBC Chartering
BBC Chartering is a multipurpose and heavy lift shipping specialist, operating over 160 vessels (4,000–40,000 dwt) with cranes capable of lifting up to 800 tonnes. The fleet includes LakerMax and F500-class ships, ice-classed for Arctic operations. In 2024–25, the company took delivery of several LakerMax vessels, starting with BBC Leer. These vessels have a lifting capacity of 500 tonnes and an optimised deck layout, with the bridge located at the fore of the vessel for an unobstructed deck space of 2,830 sq m. BBC Chartering has marked a milestone in its LakerMax newbuild programme with the inaugural transit of the BBC Houston through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System as it delivered a full shipload of wind turbine blades to Erie, Pennsylvania.
BigLift Shipping
BigLift Shipping, member of the Spliethoff Group of companies, specialises in worldwide ocean transportation of heavy lift and project cargoes with a state-of-the art fleet tailormade to serve these specialised markets. A modern fleet of four heavy transport vessels and 21 heavy lift vessels – which includes the Spliethoff P8 and P14 type heavy lift vessels and the Chang Yung CY-type heavy transport vessels – are regularly utilised to carry out the most complex technical and logistically challenging projects. The fleet will be further bolstered by two newbuild heavy transport vessels, in partnership with CY Shipping. The first newbuild, owned by CY Shipping, will be delivered in Q4 2025 and the second vessel, owned by BigLift Shipping, will join the carrier during Q2 2026.
dship Carriers
dship Carriers operates a young fleet of multipurpose, heavy lift and tweendeck vessels (around 12,000 dwt each), with onboard cranes capable of lifting up to 500 tonnes combined. Headquartered in Hamburg, it serves industries like oil and gas, renewables, and infrastructure. In 2025, dship will welcome new 15,000 dwt vessels designed for significantly reduced fuel consumption and improved cargo hold and deck capacity –– tailored by its in-house engineering and project teams. Each vessel will be equipped with 250-tonne capacity LS 250 heavy lift ship cranes. Construction has begun, with deliveries expected later this year.
Fanzhou Shipping
Fanzhou Shipping, based in Jiangsu, China, specialises in heavy lift and deck carrier operations for global energy and infrastructure projects. Fanzhou 8 was delivered in January 2025 and is one of the world’s largest self-propelled deck carriers at 256 m long. With ice-class capability, the ship completed sea trials in late 2024 and began its maiden voyage in March 2025, transporting offshore wind monopiles from China to Europe. The vessel’s large open deck has a total area of 11,700 sq m and can transport up to 58,000 tonnes of cargo such as offshore wind turbine components, offshore oil and gas platform components, and nuclear power generation equipment.
JSI Alliance
JSI Alliance unites Jumbo Shipping, SAL Heavy Lift, and Intermarine in a commercial joint venture, managing a combined fleet of around 70 heavy lift and multipurpose vessels as well as semi-sub deck carrier. With unmatched global reach, a versatile fleet, and engineering excellence, the JSI Alliance delivers complex cargo safely, efficiently, and sustainably. Their integrated approach to project logistics, offshore support, and dynamic routing ensures tailored solutions for every challenge. In the past years, JSI Alliance demonstrated leadership in innovation, reliability, and customer service, making them indispensable to critical infrastructure and energy projects worldwide. Their commitment to safety, sustainability, and operational excellence makes the JSI Alliance not just a ship operator—but a transformative force in global logistics.
King Ocean Gulf Alliance (KOGA)
King Ocean Gulf Alliance (KOGA) is a Houston-based multipurpose heavy lift operator specialising in breakbulk, energy, and infrastructure cargo across the US Gulf, Caribbean, and Central America. Operating a fleet of 12,500 dwt vessels with crane capacities up to 500 tonnes, KOGA offers ocean transportation, chartering, and turnkey logistics solutions. Supporting complex supply chains for oil and gas, mining, and power sectors, its services include liner services, flexible chartering, and custom solutions through a trusted network of local partners.
Ocean7 Projects
Ocean7 Projects operates a versatile fleet of multipurpose and heavy lift vessels capable of lifting up to 500 tonnes. The company specialises in project and out-of-gauge cargoes, serving industries such as renewables, infrastructure and oil and gas. With offices located across Europe, Asia, the UAE, and the USA, Ocean7 offers global coverage and flexible chartering solutions. In a key milestone, Ocean7 formed the United O7 joint venture with United Heavy Lift, opening a new regional office in Dubai in 2024 to strengthen its presence in the Middle East and Indian markets and support its growing global project cargo footprint.
Roll Group
Roll Group operates a fleet of semi-submersible multifunctional vessels and wide deck carriers. The fleet of RollDock ST and S-Class vessels have three methods to load and discharge heavy cargo: ro-ro, flo-flo and lo-lo. The BigRoll module carriers, meanwhile, enables Roll Group to transport some of the world’s largest and heaviest modules. In 2024, this versatile fleet was further enhanced with the delivery of RollBarge 1, the first barge in its portfolio. In the second half of this year, Roll Group will add two of KMC Line’s deck carriers to its fleet – to be renamed Bigroll KMC Beaumont and Bigroll KMC Busan.
Spliethoff Group
Spliethoff is a Dutch shipping company with a versatile fleet of over 50 multipurpose vessels that serve key markets, including project cargo, bulk cargo and forest products. The company achieved a major milestone this year with its first-ever subsea installation: the Marine XII project offshore Congo. In partnership with Geocean, Spliethoff delivered a base and yoke system weighing over 700 mt for ENI FLNG. This project showcased the offshore capabilities of Spliethoff’s B-type vessels. The company also expanded strategically by placing an order for eight new 28,600 dwt L-type vessels, which make them the largest in the Spliethoff fleet, thereby reinforcing our commitment to innovation and operational excellence across all cargo segments.
United Heavy Lift
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, United Heavy Lift (UHL), part of the United Group and headquartered in Hamburg, has built a strong reputation as a global expert in heavy lift and project cargo transportation. Driven by passion and sustainability, UHL operates a fleet of more than 20 modern multipurpose vessels, including 19 cutting-edge F900 Eco-Lifters with lifting capacities of up to 900 tonnes. These vessels form the backbone of UHL’s operations and are equipped with the latest fuel-efficient propulsion technology. In 2024, UHL Fable and UHL Fresh joined the fleet, both featuring Tier III engines and biodiesel capability. UHL delivers tailored, high-performance ocean transport solutions for complex, heavy, and oversized cargo across the globe.
Cast your votes on the Heavy Lift Awards website. Voting closes on September 5, 2025, with the winners announced at the Heavy Lift Awards ceremony on October 22, 2025 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
