SAL Heavy Lift has brought its 2004-built heavy lifter MV Maria back into action with a fresh coat of paint inspired by the Orca Class vessels currently under construction at the Wuhu Shipyard in China.

MV Maria departed the shipyard in Gdansk and made stops in Finland and Sweden before returning to her home port in Hamburg, where she proudly showed her new design upon arrival.

After loading a 404mt Menck hammer, with the impressive dimensions of 26.34 x 4.92 x 4.41 metres along with accessories, MV Maria will follow the sun to Bilbao, Spain, to load two more pile sleeves.

The Orca class vessels, whose design cues MV Maria has taken over, will set sail in 2024. These vessels will feature two 800-ton Liebherr cranes designed for this ship type enabling it to handle cargo items weighing up to 1,600 tons in tandem. Orca class ships will also feature a hybrid propulsion system.

It is worth mentioning that SAL Heavy Lift’s fleet expansion program is progressing at pace as the company signed a new construction deal with Wuhu Shipyard for the fifth Orca Class heavy-lift MPP. According to the company, the latest addition will be named Vera.