Asia Break Bulk (Singapore), a subsidiary of COLI Group, has signed long-term agreements with Schoeller Holdings covering four new 12,600-dwt multipurpose heavy-lift vessels, each equipped with two 250-tonne cranes capable of combined lifts of up to 500 tonnes.

The agreement, announced on 2 November 2026, covers four Octopus-type vessels designed for project cargo, breakbulk and oversized shipments. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in October 2028, with three sister vessels to follow.

Columbia Shipmanagement will supervise the newbuilding programme and provide technical management for the vessels. The individual delivery dates of the remaining ships and their commercial deployment schedules have not been disclosed.

According to industry reporting, the vessels are based on a design developed by CSSC-SDARI, the Chinese ship design institute. The construction shipyard and financial terms of the agreements have not been disclosed.

The ships will feature a bridge-forward arrangement and a single box-shaped cargo hold extending more than 89 metres in length. The configuration is intended to provide space for long and oversized cargoes, both within the hold and on deck.

Each vessel will also have a service speed of 15 knots and Ice Class 1A notation. COLI Group describes the design as fuel-efficient, although it has not released comparative fuel-consumption or emissions figures.

The combination of onboard heavy-lift cranes, a long cargo hold and a forward-positioned superstructure is relevant to the handling of industrial equipment that cannot be accommodated easily in conventional cargo spaces.

However, the published specifications alone do not establish which individual cargoes the vessels will be able to transport.

The stated 500-tonne tandem lifting capacity represents the combined rating of the two cranes. It does not mean that a 500-tonne cargo can be lifted under every crane outreach, vessel condition or lifting arrangement.

Actual lifting limits will depend on the approved crane load charts, operating radii, tandem lifting procedures, vessel stability and other restrictions applicable to the operation.

Similarly, a cargo hold exceeding 89 metres in length does not establish the maximum permissible length of a single cargo unit. Hatch opening dimensions, tank-top strength, internal clearances and cargo support arrangements will also determine the vessel’s suitability for specific shipments.

These distinctions are important for project cargo charterers evaluating ships for transformers, industrial machinery, steel structures and other large or heavy units.

The new vessels will add to Asia Break Bulk’s existing multipurpose shipping activities, rather than introducing heavy-lift capability to the company for the first time.

In December 2023, COLI Group announced a strategic partnership between Asia Break Bulk and CSL Shipping involving the multipurpose vessel Jian Yang Hua Qing.

That vessel was equipped with two 250-tonne cranes capable of combined lifts of up to 500 tonnes and was jointly marketed by the two companies for breakbulk, heavy-lift and project cargo transportation.

The latest four-vessel agreement therefore represents a further development of Asia Break Bulk’s access to heavy-lift tonnage, rather than its first entry into the 500-tonne lifting category.

The distinction also places the newbuilding programme in the context of the company’s existing commercial operations.

Established in Singapore in 2006, Asia Break Bulk operates semi-liner services between Europe and the Far East. According to COLI Group’s carrier services information, the business provides approximately 25 to 30 sailings annually between the two regions.

The new Octopus-type vessels could provide additional capacity for that business and other project-specific transport requirements once delivered and commercially deployed. However, COLI Group has not confirmed the specific routes or employment arrangements for each vessel.

The long-term agreements also require a distinction between fleet access and vessel ownership.

The announcement identifies Asia Break Bulk as the contracting party with Schoeller Holdings, but does not provide sufficient details to determine the vessels’ ultimate registered ownership, charter structure, contract duration or any purchase options.

The arrangement should therefore not be interpreted as confirmation that Asia Break Bulk has directly purchased four ships or entered into a specific form of charter.

For COLI Group, the additional vessels are intended to support transportation projects involving complex cargo configurations, restricted port infrastructure and demanding delivery schedules.

Their onboard cranes may offer operational flexibility at ports where appropriate shore-based lifting equipment is unavailable or insufficient, subject to the vessels’ actual lifting limits and the applicable port and cargo-handling conditions.

The bridge-forward design and long box-shaped hold may also provide options for accommodating cargoes with substantial dimensions. Final cargo acceptance will depend on engineering assessment rather than deadweight capacity or hold length alone.

From a project logistics perspective, the principal development is the planned addition of four vessels combining substantial onboard lifting capability with a cargo-space arrangement intended for oversized shipments.

The operational value of that combination will become clearer when detailed specifications, approved lifting data, cargo-space drawings and deployment plans are available.

The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in October 2028. COLI Group has not announced when it will begin commercial service, while the remaining three ships are expected to follow without individually confirmed delivery dates.