AAL Shipping (AAL) has successfully achieved latest 2020 IMO Intact Stability Code standards with its heavy lift cargo handling procedures and new levels of sailings efficiency and safety through its ground-breaking ‘Performance Optimisation Control Room’ (POCR), ensuring its multipurpose (MPP) services remain at their peak. AAL holds a strong track record of operational integrity, engineering innovation, and cargo safety – maintaining schedule commitments on all services throughout the challenges of the COVID pandemic. Its reputation for dependability has helped AAL expand its portfolio over the past 12 months with a regular trade lane presence in the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East where monthly services run in parallel with its global tramp and well-established liner operations throughout Asia and Oceania.

S-Class discharging 22,400 cbm of Heavy Lift components for the Pilbara Australia Mining Project.
S-Class discharging 22,400 cbm of Heavy Lift components for the Pilbara Australia Mining Project.

Nicola Pacifico, Head of Transport Engineering at AAL explained; “The 2020 IMO Intact Stability Code is currently only mandatory for new vessels. Nevertheless, we decided to harmonise these new standards across our fleet and operations. In the past, carriers were free to set their own standards governing stability when lifting heavy cargoes and shippers either accepted them or not. Now the bar is pre-set, and carriers will need to prove in advance that the stability of their ships and heavy lift operations is guaranteed. This is a major step forward for setting higher safety standards within the sector and demonstrates the capabilities of one carrier compared to another.”

In terms of sailings efficiency, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions reduction, AAL is proactively undertaking a number of measures to enhance its performance. Through its POCR facility – developed and operated by Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) – AAL is harnessing state-of-the-art routing, weather, and sea conditions technology to remotely monitor and plan every aspect of each sailing from a remote facility manned 24/7 by a team of expert shipping technicians. Voyage recommendations are then returned periodically to each Master with optimised routing, sailing, and fuel consumption recommendations.

AAL’s Operations Manager, Valentin Gherciu, concluded by saying; “The next step on our journey to enhanced sailings efficiency and lowered CO2 emissions is the implementation of a new ‘Motion Response Analysis’ (MRA) programme. The output of this programme coupled with machine learning tools afforded to us by the POCR, will enable AAL to make even more efficient voyage calculations in terms of fuel consumption and how to reduce the same. Our commitment to this cause was also the driver for AAL’s recent adoption of next generation hull coatings to our fleet that will reduce resistance through water and thus lower the engine power and fuel consumption required. In combination with strict hull condition monitoring and maintenance, not only can sailing costs be achieved, but also a reduction to the fleet’s all-important CO2 footprint.”