Jumbo expands heavylift fleet with newbuild brace in China

The Rotterdam-based owner has signed a contract with Chinese manufacturer and shipbuilder Dajin Heavy Industry for two 25,000 dwt heavylift vessels worth approximately $156m.      The ships are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029 and will be designed to serve offshore wind, heavy industrial transport and deepsea engineering projects.

According to Dajin Heavy Industry, the vessels will feature two 1,200-tonne heavylift cranes, providing a combined tandem lifting capacity of up to 2,400 tonnes. The ships will be built to DNV class standards and incorporate green and smart shipping technologies aimed at improving operational efficiency and environmental performance.      Jumbo’s shipping activities are conducted through the JSI Alliance, its commercial partnership with German operator SAL Heavy Lift established in 2021. The alliance expanded further in 2024 when US-based Intermarine joined the platform, creating a combined fleet of more than 50 vessels serving project cargo, energy, industrial and infrastructure markets.      The latest order follows an earlier fleet renewal programme launched by Jumbo and SAL Heavy Lift in 2022 through the Orca Class project. Under that programme, SAL Heavy Lift signed contracts at China’s Wuhu Shipyard for four firm 14,600 dwt heavylift vessels plus two options on behalf of the alliance.      Once delivered, the ships will join one of the world’s largest specialised fleets, giving the JSI Alliance additional capacity to compete for increasingly complex project logistics assignments across the global energy and infrastructure sectors.