AAL, a multipurpose shipping operator, has successfully transported a fleet of eight newly-built airport shuttle buses from Xingang, China to Melbourne, Australia for its customer, JC Trans Shanghai.

The consignment of eight buses was moved in two separate shipments on the multipurpose vessel AAL Hong Kong, which operates on AAL’s Australia East Coast and New Zealand liner service, connecting ports across the Australasia region.

AAL was chosen by the shipper over alternatives represented by traditional ro-ro carriers.

This buses each measured 46 feet in length, 10 feet in height and 10 feet in width and were loaded and discharged using the vessel’s side-mounted, heavy lift cranes.  The buses, manufactured in Beijing and transported for JC Trans Shanghai were safely discharged in Melbourne and will be used on busy airport shuttle routes.

“We compete head-to-head with ro/ro carriers for this type of cargo and ultimately proposed and delivered a more efficient and safe load-on/load-off solution for the customer,” said Frank Mueller, general manager of AAL’s liner services division. “Our multipurpose fleet offers extreme flexibility and our liner services provide regular access to hub and remote ports across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, so we are very competitive for all types of breakbulk, project and heavy lift cargo.”

“Compared to traditional ro/ro carriers and other multipurpose options available,” added Vicky Wei, JC Global’s breakbulk supervisor, “AAL’s vessel and solution saved us significant time and, as our cargo was loaded and stowed inside a huge dry cargo hold, it was delivered in excellent condition.”

AAL operates a regular and dedicated Liner Services division that connects Asia with Australia, New Zealand, and the west coast of North America. The service connecting Asia to Australia and New Zealand deploys vessels each with a combined lifting capacity of 700 metric tons. The service offers customers monthly sailings, calling at a number of base ports in China, Korea, Taiwan, East Coast Australia and New Zealand, with other ports en route offered on an inducement basis.