To proactively combat economic challenges facing the Australasia region, breakbulk, project, and heavy lift shipping operator, AAL, has taken the initiative to strengthen its Asia to East Coast Australia liner service, with a space sharing agreement with Swire Shipping.

The arrangement will ensure that AAL customers continue to enjoy optimum service, capacity and efficiency on this key shipping trade for the local economy.

With 20 years in the Asia-Pacific trade and a loyal and growing customer base, AAL will continue to manage its Asia to East Coast Australia liner service from Brisbane with complete autonomy while, at the same time, sharing vessel capacity. This development will offer sustainability in the current economic climate and allow AAL to remain competitive, without compromising customer service quality.

“In the Asia-Pacific, we are reinforcing a well-established trade and demonstrating our commitment to local customers and the wider Australian breakbulk, project, and heavy lift market, notwithstanding clear economic challenges in the region,” said Christophe Grammare, managing director of AAL’s liner services division. “”Our long-standing Brisbane team will continue to manage and oversee our Asia-Pacific liner operations, with complete autonomy to offer the most compelling and competitive solutions to AAL customers. Furthermore, we will continue to build our service quality, sailings frequency, and reliability and deploy the finest fleet in the market.”

The space sharing, which started on December 14, 2015 will enhance AAL’s regular Asia to East Coast Australia liner service will enable regular service to an increased number of ports, 13 in all, connecting China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam with Australia’s east and southern coasts. The arrangement will also offer shortened voyages and focused port selection and will improve transit times on individual voyages. Sailing frequency is set to improve from Shanghai, Busan, and Kaohsiung from 30 days, to 20 days.

AAL will continue to deploy two of its A-class multipurpose heavy lift vessels on the route with capacities of 31,000 dwt each and each with a 700-ton combined lifting capacity.  These vessels are able to efficiently load and accommodate extremely heavy and outsized project cargo, alongside breakbulk, containers and bulk.

Space can also be booked directly through AAL on two smaller vessels being deployed on the route by Swire Shipping, giving AAL’s customers increased choice and the same focused and competitive customer service standards they have come to expect.

In 2015, AAL has witnessed a rapid growth in its Asia-Pacific liner trade; expanded its global infrastructure with new offices in Japan, Korea, Canada, and the Middle East and also boosted its tramp and projects division in cooperation with Peter Döhle that has seen its fleet grow to comprise seven classes of multipurpose heavy lift vessels, ranging from 12,000 to 31,000 dwt.