AAL Shipping (AAL) has completed the transport of all 188 steel bridge components for the North East Link (NEL) project in Melbourne. This project is considered one of Australia's largest road infrastructure projects and serves as a testament to AAL's capability in managing heavy and complex projects.
Details of the Transport Operation
The operation was carried out over nine consecutive voyages and took nearly a year, facing numerous challenges such as port congestion, tropical storms, and dense fog. AAL's charter and operations teams managed to secure ship space quickly and continuously, maintaining a near-perfect on-time delivery record. To ensure no damage occurred, stringent requirements were adhered to at all stages, including washing all cargo with fresh water before entering Melbourne.
Collaboration with EBTA and Successful Delivery of Cargo
AAL closely collaborated with the main contractor, Eastern Freeway Burke to Tram Alliance (EBTA), managing all phases of the project from loading at the Taikang port in China to unloading at the Appleton terminal and Webb Dock in Australia. In total, the operation transported 60,500 tons of prefabricated bridge components, with the largest piece measuring 48.6 meters in length, 6.9 meters in width, and 3.3 meters in height, weighing up to 113 tons.
AAL's Managing Director, Greg Stanton, stated that EBTA is very satisfied with AAL's performance in this program, noting that minor delays caused by severe storms were well managed and clearly communicated. He added that China remains a key market for AAL and the main hub of its customer supply chain. This project reflects clients' trust in AAL to provide complex project transport solutions and heavy cargo.
The North East Link project is built on AAL's growing track record of supporting major infrastructure programs in Australia and once again emphasizes the China-Australia trade route as one of the busiest and most reputable corridors in AAL's liner network in the Asia-Pacific region.
Stanton continued that this liner program demonstrates AAL's strength, flexibility, and reliability in supporting Australia's main infrastructure pipeline by transporting critical infrastructure cargo from China to Melbourne.
