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How A-boat that! AAL Shipping Transports 38 Yachts from US to Europe in Single Sailing

[ June 22, 2020   //   ]

Multipurpose (MPP) and project heavy lift carrier AAL Shipping, in partnership with Peters & May, has successfully transported 38 private yachts – the largest of which was 32 m long – on deck in a single sailing from Fort Lauderdale, US, to Southampton, UK, and Antwerp, Belgium.

The cargo covered an area of 2,500 m2 – about half the size of a soccer pitch – and was carried aboard the ‘mega size’ 31,000 dwt AAL Melbourne, with her 39,500 cbm intake capacity and weather deck space of 3,000 m2.

Marc Willim, General Manager of AAL’s Chartering Department, commented: “With 25-years’ experience delivering tramp chartering solutions and operating scheduled liner services on busy trades around the world, we have carried our fair share of pleasure craft.

“Only a few months ago, we transported an 86m long aluminium superyacht hull from China to Australia, the largest single floating cargo piece that we have ever carried.

“Similarly, 38 yachts with an average length of 16m on deck requires well-planned stowage engineering and lashing, a first-class crew and a very special ship.”

He added: “At a time when the global shipping community is concerned about the ability of MPP carriers to deliver service and schedule integrity, this sailing examples AAL’s own boosted frequency through the US.

“In a boost to the region’s shippers, in June we have multiple MPP vessels calling US West Coast, Gulf and East Coast Ports and ready to serve market needs.”

Dave Holley, Chief Executive Officer of Peters & May, concluded by saying: “Moving this many yachts in one go is always full of challenges and we are very careful which carrier we choose for such a voyage.

“AAL provided us with a timely solution and the whole operation went extremely smoothly. We are now looking forward to our next transatlantic voyage.”

The AAL Melbourne recently transported two giant jib cranes, each weighing 900 metric tonnes from Taicang, China, to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. AAL has released drone footage of both of the cargos on board the ship, which can be downloaded here.

AAL, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has launched a new initiative called ‘Get Onboard!’ offering cargo transport, free of freight charge, to registered charities worldwide needing to transport vital goods and equipment internationally and suffering the financial effects of the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Worldwide Flight Services’ (WFS) investment in 12 dedicated pharma facilities at airports in Europe, the United States and Africa generated significant increases in time- and temperature-sensitive volumes in the first five months of 2020, and will provide vital support to airlines, freight forwarders and their healthcare customers involved in the global distribution of a coronavirus vaccine once one becomes available.
The growth of pharma shipments by air in the past 2-3 years, and the development of premium products by airlines for temperature controlled healthcare and life science shipments, prompted WFS to make a multi-million euro investment in pharma centers at its airport stations in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, Madrid, Miami, New York and Paris CDG. With the importance of health and well-being taking on even greater significance for consumers since the outbreak of COVID-19, shipment volumes and the number of airlines using the new WFS facilities have been rising month-on-month.

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