AAL Shipping (AAL) said its longstanding 'Asia to Australia East & West Coast Liner Services' successfully delivered a series of five project cargo shipments from China to Eastern Australia for a major brownfields coal project in Mackay, Queensland. 

AAL added that it used several of its 19,000DWT S-class fleet of heavy lift vessels and commissioned by global logistics provider Geodis Australia, the shipments transported berth components of varying sizes from Shanghai and discharged in Mackay.

The breakbulk, heavy lift, and project cargo operator said the brownfields project involves the disassembly and replacement of one of the existing berth and ship loaders to improve cyclonic wave immunity to terminal operations.

The site is located within the lease boundaries of the Hay Point Coal Terminal, approximately 38 kilometres south of Mackay, Central Queensland.

AAL said shipment one carried heavy lift components from China to Mackay, to facilitate the on-site installation of new berth modules. Shipments two, four, and five from China transported components in support of preparatory works including modification of existing concrete caisson berth foundations, disassembly and removal of the existing berth and ship loader, and on-site installation, tie-in, and commissioning of new berth modules.

Shipment three, from China to Henderson on the Australian West Coast, comprised 86 frames and walkways and enabled the off-site fabrication of new berth topside modules (decking, ship loader rail beams, conveyor galleries, and sections) and the new ship loader.

"We have worked extensively with Geodis Australia over the years, and they know the experience of our local team and the regularity and flexibility that our Asia to East and West Coast Australia Liner Services has delivered for 27 years," said Frank Mueller, general manager of AAL Australia.

"The Australian market has been experiencing significant terminal congestion issues, extended waiting times, and increased port charges. The success of our operations involves the careful handling of these challenges – either mitigation of potential port congestion and detention charges or schedule optimisation by remaining flexible and having the ability to add inducement ports when required," he added.