Jumbo and SAL enter heavy lift joint venture

Jumbo Kinetic carrying monopiles for Yunlin offshore wind farm

Dutch maritime heavy lift transport and engineering contractor Jumbo Shipping and Germany-based breakbulk and project cargo specialist SAL Heavy Lift have announced a joint venture (JV) called the Jumbo-SAL-Alliance. The JV will see the two companies combine fleets and all commercial activities with the aim of creating “a new powerhouse in the heavy lift sector”.

Trina (SAL) on the right and Fairlane (Jumbo) on the left

Jumbo-SAL-Alliance said that the two companies’ combined fleet means it has the world’s largest fleet in the 800-plus tonne sector, with over 30 project cargo vessels with lifting capacities up to 3,000 tonne safe working load. The joint venture was cleared by the German competition authority earlier this month.

The Jumbo-SAL-Alliance has a dedicated website at: www.jumbo-sal-alliance.com 

MV Svenja (SAL) transporting monopiles and transition pieces

Michael Kahn, Jumbo managing director, said, “This joint venture is a big step for both of us. In the past few years, it became increasingly clear that the benefits of collaboration heavily outweigh the traditional way of doing business. Our client base and interests have changed and to remain an effective global player in our field of activity, you always need to adapt and innovate. Not only on a technical level, but also commercially. We believe that the flexibility and competences that our clients are looking for are best served by SAL’s and Jumbo’s combined assets and knowledge.”

Michael Kahn, managing director of Jumbo

Jens Baumgarten, director chartering at SAL Heavy Lift, added, “This collaboration allows us to bring an unrivalled shipping product to market. It provides a solid answer to the needs of big contractors and EPCs as well as manufacturers and forwarders. On one side, we can handle regular or spot-market breakbulk cargoes. On the other, we have the experience and the assets to handle very large and long-term scopes, including arranging third-party tonnage or whatever is needed to make good on our ‘one-stop-shop’ promise.”

Martin Harren, managing director SAL and Harren & Partner Group

Despite the formation of the JV, Jumbo-SAL-Alliance said that SAL and Jumbo will retain their market presence in addition to the new set-up, continuing as independent operators and vessel owners remaining active brands in the market.