Multipurpose carrier AAL Shipping has held a formal naming ceremony for AAL Dubai, its fifth Super B-class vessel.
The 32,000 dwt AAL Dubai adds to AAL Shipping’s third-generation newbuilding fleet whilst celebrating the company’s 30th anniversary.
Methanol-ready, the multipurpose heavy lift vessel was officially named at the CSSC Huangpu-Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, China. With a regional office there since 2015, the ship has been named after Dubai, which AAL deems a key maritime hub.
“The Middle East market is going from strength to strength for the project sector, last year enjoying unprecedented levels of capital expenditure across all industries,” said Liew Teck Liong, chief financial officer at AAL. “Naming one of our new Super B-Class vessels after Dubai underscores our dedication to the region, aligning with both the 10th anniversary of our Dubai office and the 30th anniversary of the company.”
According to Liong, “In 2024 alone, a record-breaking USD264 billion worth of contracts were awarded – a 6.5 percent increase from the previous year.”
AAL Dubai has a combined lifting capacity of 700 tonnes and can transport heavy lift project equipment, breakbulk, and dry bulk, all on a single voyage. It will embark on its maiden voyage, joining AAL Limassol, AAL Hamburg, AAL Houston, and AAL Antwerp in serving project cargo customers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas.
“We are now over the halfway mark with our Super B-Class deliveries, and those already in service are exceeding our expectations,” added Liong.
Later this year, AAL will take delivery of AAL Dammam, before AAL Newcastle and AAL Mumbai – with an increased maximum lifting capacity of 800 tonnes each – follow.
In February 2025, AAL picked the Octopus advisory system for its Super B-class vessels.
