A total of 10 vessels! Wuhu Shipyard has once again secured an order from a German shipowner for a heavy-lift vessel.

On the evening of September 3, 2026, local time, during the SMM 2026 Hamburg International Maritime Exhibition in Germany, Wuhu Shipyard and the German shipowner SAL Heavy Lift Group held a signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding to build five 14,600‑ton multi‑purpose heavy‑lift vessels. Following the earlier order for five identical ships, the scope of their collaboration has now expanded to a total of ten vessels.

SAL Heavy Lift, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is a world‑leading provider of heavy‑lift and project cargo shipping services. A member of the German Harren Group, it boasts nearly five decades of industry expertise and serves as a core member of the JSI Alliance.

SAL initially placed an order in July 2022 with the Wuhu Shipyard for four Orca‑class, 14,600‑dwt multipurpose heavy‑lift vessels, and subsequently added a fifth vessel at the end of 2023. The project is being jointly advanced by SAL and its joint‑venture partner, the Dutch company Jumbo Shipping, with the newbuilds designed by the Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute.

The Orca-class vessel has an overall length of 149.9 meters, a molded breadth of 27.2 meters, and a deadweight tonnage of approximately 14,600 tons. It is certified to the 1A ice class and complies with the Polar Code, and it is equipped with a dual-fuel propulsion system capable of using methanol as an alternative fuel.

This vessel is equipped with two 800‑ton Liebherr all‑electric cranes, capable of handling cargoes weighing up to 1,600 tons in tandem. The cranes are integrated with the ship’s intelligent energy management and recovery system, allowing them to operate in hybrid mode alongside conventional generator sets or to connect to shore power while at berth, enabling fully electric port operations.

Although its external dimensions are quite compact, this series of vessels features the largest box-shaped single cargo hold in its class. If equipped with hatch covers rated at 10 tonnes per square meter to accommodate ultra-heavy deck cargo—such as a 3,000‑ton cable conveyor—the ship can stow exceptionally tall loads within the hold and even sail with the hatch open up to its full design draft.

In addition to an optimized hull design, Orca-class vessels will feature an innovative propulsion system, incorporating compact, high-efficiency main engines and a diesel–electric hybrid powertrain. Compared with other heavy-lift vessels, this hybrid configuration delivers superior fuel efficiency and enhanced redundancy, while achieving a maximum service speed of approximately 18.5 knots. At a cruising speed of 15 knots, the ships’ daily fuel consumption will be significantly below 20 tonnes.

Previously, of the five 14,600‑dwt multi‑purpose heavy‑lift vessels ordered by SAL from the Wuhu Shipyard, three have already been successfully delivered. Since entering service, these ships have demonstrated outstanding reliability and cost‑effectiveness, earning high praise from the shipowner. Building on the strong trust established through their earlier collaboration, and with some vessels from the initial order still under construction, SAL has placed an additional order for five more sister ships of the same design.

The Orca‑class vessels included in this additional order have been validated through real‑world operational experience and have been recognized as flagship products of Anhui Province’s key industrial chains. With their large‑capacity, wide‑opening single‑compartment cargo holds and a dual‑crane, twin‑hoist lifting capacity of 1,600 tonnes, these ships are ideally suited to meet the transportation needs of offshore wind‑farm equipment, large engineering modules, and other oversized, heavyweight cargoes, giving them a distinct competitive edge in the multi‑purpose heavy‑lift vessel segment.

For Wuhu Shipyard, the signing of additional orders not only expands the scope of cooperation but also serves as an authoritative endorsement of the shipyard’s comprehensive capabilities by a world‑leading shipping company. This further reinforcement will solidify Wuhu Shipyard’s position as a global leader in the multi‑purpose heavy‑lift vessel segment.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, Wuhu Shipyard also established strategic procurement partnerships with three internationally renowned equipment suppliers: Glomax, Finland’s Auramarine, and Circor.

Among these, Wuhu Shipyard has signed a long-term strategic procurement agreement with Glomax, leveraging its robust technical expertise and proven global delivery track record to ensure reliable fulfillment of its current order backlog.

A strategic procurement cooperation agreement has been signed with Finland’s Auramarine. As a global leader in fuel supply and auxiliary systems, Auramarine boasts cutting-edge technology in alternative fuel systems such as methanol and ammonia, which will help the company strengthen its green ship‑supply chain strategy.

In addition, Wuhu Shipyard has signed a strategic procurement agreement with Circor. Circor is a global leader in integrated fluid‑control solutions, specializing in the manufacture of high‑end engineered valves, pumps, and piping products for critical applications in the maritime, oil & gas, and power sectors. With operations spanning more than 100 countries, Circor will provide reliable support for the company’s marine fluid‑control systems.

From the successful delivery of three vessels to the subsequent addition of five more—bringing the total to ten—the Wuhu Shipyard has earned market trust through quality and secured recognition for its capabilities. Looking ahead, the company will remain committed to the philosophy of “meticulous craftsmanship, excellence in every vessel,” working hand in hand with global partners to contribute to the high‑quality, sustainable development of the shipbuilding industry.