SAL Heavy Lift has signed a memorandum of understanding with Wuhu Shipyard covering five additional 14,600 DWT Orca Class multipurpose heavy-lift vessels. If the MOU leads to firm construction contracts, the programme between the two companies could grow to ten ships.
The agreement was signed on 3 September 2026 during SMM 2026 in Hamburg. The proposed vessels will follow the Orca Class platform already being built by Wuhu Shipyard for SAL Heavy Lift, part of Germany’s Harren Group.
The original order was placed in 2022 and comprised four firm vessels plus two options. SAL Heavy Lift exercised one of those options at Marintec China in late 2023, bringing the confirmed series to five vessels.
Three ships from that programme have been delivered. Elise and Frida entered long-term charter service after handover. The third vessel, Patricia, was delivered in June and started its maiden voyage with Vestas wind energy equipment loaded in Asia for transport to Europe. The other vessels in the confirmed series remain under construction.
At approximately 150 m in length, the Orca Class design centres on one large cargo hold. Its open-hatch configuration supports the transport of oversized and ultra-heavy cargo.
Two customised heavy-lift cranes are installed on each vessel, providing up to 1,600 tonnes of combined lifting capacity. The cargo arrangement and lifting capability are designed to handle offshore wind components, large engineering modules, project cargo and industrial equipment.
The Orca Class also uses hybrid power and energy management systems. Its design includes provisions that would allow future operation with methanol.
The latest MOU covers a further five vessels on the 14,600 DWT platform. Converting the agreement into firm orders would increase the total number of Orca Class ships covered by the cooperation between SAL Heavy Lift and Wuhu Shipyard from five to ten.
