Brazil has completed a pioneering maritime logistics operation, loading 16 inland barges transversely onto a heavy-lift vessel for shipment to the Paraná–Paraguay Waterway — the first procedure of its kind in South America.
The operation took place at the Atem Tapanã Terminal in Belém, where 16 barges, each weighing about 380 tonnes, were placed aboard the AAL HAMBURG. Using synchronized tandem cranes, the units were lifted and secured crosswise rather than longitudinally, allowing for more efficient deck use and balanced weight distribution during the voyage.
According to the ship tracking service, the AAL HAMBURG, a Heavy Lift Vessel sailing under the flag of Portugal, departed Belém on 24 October 2025 and is expected to arrive in Nueva Palmira, Uruguay, on 4 November 2025. The vessel has a length overall (LOA) of 179.9 meters and a beam of 30.04 meters.
The barges were built by Estaleiro Rio Maguari in Belém and Estaleiro Juruá in Manaus. Upon arrival, they will join the LHG Logística fleet in Nueva Palmira, forming part of a program that includes about 400 barges intended for cargo transport along the Paraguay–Paraná Waterway.
