Singapore-based shipping company AAL Shipping (AAL) has delivered multiple cargo shipments for British conglomerate INEOS’ Project ONE, a sustainable ethane cracker development located at the Port of Antwerp.
As disclosed, the first shipment was a 277-tonne, 51-meter-long distillation column, manufactured in Southern Europe. The heavy-lift unit was reportedly shipped onboard the 31,000-deadweight A-Class heavy lifter, ‘AAL PUSAN,’ from Avilés, Spain, to Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi, for final preparation, before its onward journey to the INEOS site in Antwerp.
Yahaya Sanusi, Deputy Head of Transport Engineering at AAL, said: “This operation was textbook. Our engineering team was involved from the outset, and we collaborated closely with cargo stakeholders to complete all structural integrity assessments and due diligence well in advance. The column was delivered with four robust eight-metre saddles, simplifying the deck load spreading and enhancing safety and handling efficiency.”
An additional 3,675.34 metric tonnes of convection modules and supporting components were also transported from Gijon, Spain, to Antwerp, AAL revealed, adding that the cargo spanned more than 9,600 cubic meters and was carried aboard the newbuild 32,000-deadweight Super B-Class vessel, ‘AAL ANTWERP,’ in a single dedicated tramp sailing for Kuehne + Nagel M.V. Netherlands.
Marc-Oliver Brockmann, Commercial Manager, AAL Europe, commented: “It’s not uncommon for large-scale industrial projects like INEOS Project One to involve multiple sailings over extended timelines and for several charterers. On this project, we undertook operations for two different customers. Both were clear in their requirements: high-capacity heavy-lift vessels with ample cargo hold space and reliable onboard gear with extended outreach. The unique adaptability and scale of our A-Class and Super B-Class vessels – along with dependable transit times and the flexibility of our scheduled liner and custom tramp services – ensured that AAL was not only the right partner but one that delivered on every project demand.”
The $4 billion Project ONE facility is expected to produce 1.5 million tonnes of ethylene annually and aims to have the lowest carbon footprint of any cracker plant in Europe. Operations are scheduled to begin in 2026.
On January 15, 2025, COSCO Shipping’s heavy-lift vessel, ‘Zhi Yuan Kou,’ arrived at the Project ONE site in Antwerp with a cargo of first furnaces, which reportedly form the heart of the ethane cracker under construction.
Weighing as much as 6,000 tonnes, more than 32 meters wide, and 60 meters high, this is regarded as “one of the largest and most spectacular industrial ship transports ever” in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The monetary value of the module with two furnaces is also said to be considerable: it amounts to as much as €150 million.
To note, ethylene is a fundamental raw material used in numerous applications, such as sustainable energy solutions. Furthermore, it is used in lightweight parts for cars and wind turbines, insulation materials for the construction industry, or pipes for transporting drinking water.
