Month: May 2019

Following a string of new agency appointments and office launches across Europe – the most recent in Finland – global multipurpose and project heavy lift carrier AAL is strengthening those operations yet further with the appointment of Marc-Oliver Brockmann as European Commercial Manager. With 27 years in the project heavy lift cargo sector, Brockmann brings vast experience and a strong reputation for excellence to AAL’s Hamburg-based Team run by General Manager, Eike Muentz.

Spanning almost three decades, Marc’s shipping career has been with one company, the international breakbulk and project cargo broker, COLI Schiffahrt & Transport GmbH & Co KG. He started in 1992 as a Chartering Broker and got procuration in 1996. He was appointed General Manager of COLI’s Antwerp office in 2005 and, after his return, became Managing Director of the Hamburg office in 2010 and subsequently Managing Director of Korea Branch operations in 2013. He commented, ‘I grew up with COLI and during my tenure gained extensive knowledge of the project cargo market and particularly the trade between Europe and Asia – its ebbs and flows and key drivers. I hope now to share that expertise with AAL, an ocean carrier that I’ve worked with many times and highly respect for its professionalism and transparency in dealings.’

Eike Muentz added, ‘We are truly excited that someone of Marc’s calibre has agreed to spearhead our commercial and customer relations activity in Europe and help us to realise the next stage in our ambitious development strategy.’

‘Despite the market challenges that the multipurpose and project heavy lift sector has faced in recent years, AAL has managed to remain strongly independent and grow both its services and physical operations. In Europe, as with the rest of the world, we have built a reputation for actions and not words – delivering competitive solutions for our customers and putting their needs above all else. Not only is Marc ambitious and determined, but he shares our philosophy about customer service and its importance to sustainable business development.’

AAL CELEBRATES FELIXSTOWE INAUGURAL CALL WITH SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY OF FOUR RTGS FROM CHINA, FOR THE UK PORT’S EXPANSION PROJECT

AAL has successfully delivered a cargo of four rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs) to the Port of Felixstowe, as part of a development project that will see the UK’s busiest container port add an additional 18,000 teu of container storage capacity to meet growing demand. The ZPMC Chinese-made RTGs were loaded in Shanghai and shipped to Felixstowe aboard the 31,000 dwt mega-size mpv the A-Class AAL Kobe, for the CPIA forwarding and shipping agency. Each of the units measured 32 m x 14 m x 30 m and weighed just under 200 t.

The new remote controlled RTGs will serve Berths 8 and 9 at the Port and are capable of stacking containers six-high to enable more efficient use of the new yard. All four units were discharged safely using the Kobe’s own heavy lift cranes (700 t max lift) and due to the skill of her crew and support from AAL’s engineering department, who planned the entire operation and dispatched one of its most experienced Cargo Superintendents (CSIs) to oversee proceedings.

During the discharge operation, the Port of Felixstowe’s Head of Corporate Affairs Paul Davey visited the AAL Kobe to hand-over a commemorative plaque to her Master, Capt. Aleksandr Afanaskin, in celebration of AAL’s inaugural call.

Christophe Grammare, commented, “We are delighted to be back in the UK and calling for the first time in Felixstowe with such an impressive project cargo. Although the UK is a significant container shipping market – Felixstowe being the 6th busiest container port in Europe with about 26 million tons of cargo each year – it is not immediately associated with project heavy lift cargo. The RTGs were shipped there on-deck of the AAL Kobe which, with a highly flexible cargo capacity of almost 40,000 cbm, was also carrying additional project cargo under-deck that was discharged a few days later in Ireland.”

Captain Dai, CPIA’s General Manager concluded by saying, “The cooperation between ZPMC, AAL, Port of Felixstowe and CPIA was seamless and this proved to be key to the success of this entire operation. AAL’s professional and careful handling of this cargo throughout loading, stowage and discharge operations was impressive. Well done to all involved.”

To view more images and video of this operation, click here.