Freight News, Logistics, Sea

Asia Break Bulk Charters Four MPV Newbuilds

[ November 5, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

Asia Break Bulk has signed long-term agreements to charter four 12,600 dwt multipurpose project cargo newbuildings from Schoeller Holdings, expanding its capacity as availability tightens in the heavy-lift market.

Shandong Port Marine Equipment Co. Ltd. will construct the vessels to the Octopus design developed by CSSC-SDARI. The first is scheduled for delivery in October 2028, followed by three sister vessels at three-month intervals in the first, second and third quarters of 2029.

Asia Break Bulk declined to disclose the duration of the charter agreements.

Each vessel will be equipped with two 250-tonne cranes capable of lifting as much as 500 tonnes in tandem. A single box-shaped cargo hold extending more than 89 meters will accommodate long and complex cargoes, while a bridge-forward configuration will provide additional deck space for oversized shipments.

The vessels will have a service speed of 15 knots and ice class 1A, allowing operation in ice-affected areas. The company did not disclose fuel-consumption or additional propulsion specifications.

Asia Break Bulk General Manager Maximilian Fischer said the company is seeing greater demand for shorter transit times and direct calls at ports with draft or infrastructure limitations.

Smaller multipurpose vessels cannot match the economies of scale of larger ships, he said, but can offer greater flexibility and reduce the need for transshipment. Avoiding intermediate handling can reduce transit time, cost and cargo risk, particularly for long, heavy or technically complex shipments.

Singapore-based Asia Break Bulk currently employs two vessels in long-term projects. The company has connected Asia and Europe with breakbulk, heavy-lift and project cargo services for 20 years and is part of Hamburg-based COLI Group.

Columbia Shipmanagement will supervise construction and provide technical and crew management after delivery. COLI said the vessels will strengthen both Asia Break Bulk’s carrier operations and the group’s ability to manage complex logistics projects.

The order also illustrates the delayed supply response facing the multipurpose sector. Carrier sentiment has strengthened as longer voyages, congestion and geopolitical disruption absorb effective vessel capacity, but new tonnage ordered today will take several years to reach the market.

The average age of geared multipurpose vessels with lifting capacity above 100 tonnes exceeds 16 years, while the sector’s orderbook remains comparatively limited. Asia Break Bulk’s first new vessel will not enter service for almost two years, with the full four-vessel program extending into third-quarter 2029.

Tags: Asia Break Bulk, Schoeller Holdings, Shandong Port Marine Equipment Co. Ltd.