AAL Shipping is reinforcing its commitment to the Indian market with the deployment of the 31,000 dwt vessel AAL Kembla, tasked with transporting heavy lift project cargo from India to the Americas.
This move highlights the carrier’s growing focus on connecting India with Europe and the US Gulf through its monthly liner and tailored tramp charter services, providing extensive support for local and regional shippers.
In late September, AAL Kembla, part of AAL’s renowned A-Class fleet, docked at Adani Hazira Port as part of the monthly Europe–Middle East/India–Asia liner service. The vessel loaded two shipments destined for New Orleans, US, and Salina Cruz, Mexico, before continuing its journey on AAL’s Asia–Americas Trade Route.
Coordinated by AAL’s local agent, Merchant Shipping Services, the cargo included 29 packages. For Salina Cruz, the 1,636 cbm shipment featured power plant equipment manufactured in Hazira, with units weighing up to 200 tonnes. The New Orleans-bound shipment comprised oversized Air Furnace Lower Shells, totalling 2,010 cbm and weighing up to 75 tonnes per unit.
Karim Smaili, General Manager Middle East at AAL Shipping, explained: “We have distinct services that offer monthly connections from Europe to India, and India to the US Gulf, connecting with major trade hubs around the world to provide extensive coverage for the region. The success of these India fixtures underscores AAL’s robust capabilities in handling complex project cargo and highlights the strategic importance of India as a hub in our global service network.”
Equipped with 700-tonne capacity heavy-lift cranes, AAL Kembla efficiently loaded the cargo into its holds and on deck. Expert planning ensured the operation was completed safely and on schedule.
Smaili added: “As the available time at the berth at Adani Hazira port was strictly constrained, we needed to complete the loading operations efficiently and safely. We worked from 6 am to ensure we had sufficient daylight hours to load the heavy packages, working until midnight to ensure all cargoes were stowed secured and ready for departure. This required excellent planning from all stakeholders to ensure the operations were completed without delay.”
