Feature, Freight News, Sea

Sun Ships: SAL Expands Semi-submersible Fleet

[ September 25, 2025   //   Gary Burrows ]

German heavy-lift and engineering specialist SAL Heavy Lift said it has expanded its deck carrier fleet, acquiring two semi-submersible deck carriers Sun Shine and Sun Rise, from former owner Pan Ocean (Korea).

Both vessels are scheduled for delivery in Europe between October and April 2026 and will be commercially operated as part of the JSI Alliance, which includes Jumbo Shipping and Intermarine.

With semi-submersible deck carriers Zhong Ren 121 and Zhong Ren 122 in long-term charter since 2023, SAL is doubling its capacity in this specialized segment.

“We’ve listened closely to our clients during the operation of the Zhong Ren vessels and recognized a growing demand for additional tonnage and greater operational flexibility,” says Matthieu Moerman, director renewables and offshore at the JSI Alliance. “With four vessels now in this segment, we can offer our clients even more robust services and tailored solutions for large-scale and complex projects.”

The 17,133 deadweight-ton Sun Shine, built in 2008, has a deck of 148 meters by 48 meters, a draft of seven meters and an average speed of 9 knots. The 24,629 dwt Sun Rise, built in 2012, has a deck size of 134 meters by 44 meters, a submerged deck draft of 7.5 meters and an average speed of 9.5 knots.

The new vessels “enable us to broaden our service spectrum – from smaller MPP (multipurpose) vessels with lifting capacities of 300 dwt and 7,700 dwt to large semi-submersible deck carriers with almost 25,000 dwt,” said Martin Harren, CEO of the Harren Group and SAL Heavy Lift. “This puts us in a position to cover the entire scope of the MPP and heavy-lift sector and to provide our clients with the right tonnage from the most capable fleet in the world.”

SAL Heavy Lift will also expand its sales, engineering, and operations teams in Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Singapore, Harren added.

Tags: Pan Ocean, SAL Heavy Lift