Designed for project cargo

The two 250-tonne cranes can work in tandem for lifts of up to 500 tonnes. The single hold, at more than 89 metres length, makes it suitable for a wide range of project and heavy lift cargoes. A bridge-forward layout creates extra room for oversized cargo on deck. The design is optimised for fuel efficiency at a service speed of 15 knots. ICE-class 1A allows winter trading to ice-affected areas.

Maximum Flexibility

Asia Break Bulk has connected Asia and Europe with breakbulk, heavy-lift and project cargo services for two decades, expanding its regional scope over time. Indeed, 2026 marks its 20^th anniversary. One reason to build these vessels now is that Asia Break Bulk aims to fulfil the strong demand for tailor-made shipping solutions.

“We are seeing increasing demand from our customers for shorter transit times and direct access to ports and destinations with draft and infrastructure limitations.” says Maximilian Fischer, General Manager at Asia Break Bulk.

“While it’s not easy for smaller MPP vessels to compete with larger ships in terms of economies of scale, they offer distinct advantages in flexibility, accessibility and operational efficiency. Transshipments not only add time and cost but also introduce additional risk. These vessels are specifically designed to transport long, heavy and complex cargoes directly to destinations beyond the typical liner hubs, minimizing intermediate handling and ensuring efficient and reliable deliveries. For us, this investment is not simply about adding four vessels to our fleet. It is about strengthening our capabilities, responding to evolving customer requirements and ensuring that we can confidently say “yes” to the increasingly complex transport challenges our customers will bring us in the years ahead.”

Backed by COLI Group, Schoeller Holdings and Columbia Group

Asia Break Bulk’s position within COLI Group is one of the factors making this investment possible. COLI combines a global network of breakbulk and project cargo brokers, worldwide freight forwarding with a strong project profile, and carrier services. The newbuilds will strengthen both ABB’s and the group’s carrier activities and their ability to carry out complex logistics projects as one integrated operation.

Another important enabler is the fact that Schoeller Holdings is the company’s project partner, offering stability, deep knowledge of fleet building and financing, and facilitating the four newbuilds. In addition, Columbia Shipmanagement has also partnered with Asia Break Bulk. Columbia is supervising the newbuilding process and, when the vessels become operational, will take on both technical and crew management.

Felix Peinemann, Managing Director of COLI Group, comments: “Building long-term partnerships is a decision you take with a long horizon in mind. Our colleagues at Asia Break Bulk have spent twenty years earning the trust of customers between Asia and Europe, and as a group we want to back that team with modern, purpose-built tonnage. This investment in both our customers and our capabilities strengthens what COLI Group can offer in complex breakbulk transport and logistic solutions. We thank Schoeller Holdings and Columbia Shipmanagement for their trust. The partnerships with them made this project possible.”

The post Asia Break Bulk adds 4 Heavy Lift newbuilds to its fleet appeared first on COLI Group.

Read the interview below or read the full FBJ edition online.

Read the interview

The post COLI Group featured in Freight Business Journal appeared first on COLI Group.

Indeed, Coli Bulk’s period tonnage forms the backbone of their parcel service from Asia to Europe. However, not every vessel position matches the liner schedule. When that happens, we employ our tonnage on full cargo fixtures, including loadings from some of the more remote corners of the world.

This flexibility keeps our fleet efficiently employed, gives our partners reliable capacity beyond the regular trade lanes, and builds experience in ports where local knowledge makes all the difference.

Our LIGNUM NEXUS loaded logs at both Nelson and Picton. Framed by the green hills of the Marlborough Sounds and far from the busy terminals of Asia and Europe, she shows how far good seamanship and teamwork reach.

Or rather, our crew and partners show that.

Thanks to our client SPS, our crew, the stevedores in Picton and everyone ashore who made this call a success!

The post From New Zealand to China: COLI Bulk at Work appeared first on COLI Group.

Today, we’re taking the next step.

Together with our colleagues from Asia Break Bulk (ABB) we’ve reached a major milestone – one that will open a completely new chapter for our company and create exciting new opportunities for our customers around the world. More info coming soon!

Last, congratulations to our ABB colleagues on their 20^th anniversary! You’re a pillar of strength and expertise in the changing world of project cargo.

Stay tuned.

The post Something big is on the horizon… appeared first on COLI Group.

Used Liebherr crane to an Ivorian mine

COLI Antwerp moved a used Liebherr mobile crane from the Dutch village of Geertruidenberg, the Netherlands, to the port of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, for onward delivery to a mining site inland together with their trusted partners.

Compressor from Antwerp to northern Chile

A single Atlas Copco compressor was booked as flatrack cargo, but its weight and size exceeded what standard road equipment could carry. To ensure safe transport, COLI’s Antwerp team arranged a special truck to lift and load it at the collection site and arranged for a specialist supplier to carry out Lashing, Securing and Dunnage (LSD) and fit the protective tarpaulin. The unit then travelled to the port of Antwerp as an escorted abnormal load; and from there to the port of Antofagasta.

Metro railcar from Brazil to France

COLI shipped a metro railcar from Brazil to the railway test Centre at Petite-Forêt near Valenciennes, France, one of only a handful of facilities worldwide able to run the required trials. Eduardo Pijpe, Account Manager at COLI Antwerp, says: “Winning this tender meant a lot to us. Our client had worked with us before, and having our own people in both Brazil and Antwerp meant we could offer a one-stop shop solution from factory to test track rather than a handover halfway.” COLI Antwerp and COLI Brasil worked in close collaboration to complete the project to the satisfaction of their client.

90-tonne generators from Bergen to Abidjan

The fourth shipment carried heavy generator sets of 90 tonnes each, together with their specific lifting gear and additional 30 t alternators, from Bergen (Norway), to Abidjan (Ivory Coast). COLI arranged the ocean transport, including chartering a breakbulk vessel and handling the vessel’s agency. The units were loaded directly on MAFI-trailers. Lashing, seafastening, marine surveys, port agency etc. were all handled in-house.

“We’ve had an interesting Q1, 2 and 3! These four were not our biggest projects ever, and that is rather the point. Individually they can be seen as routine project cargo; together they map what our team handles frequently, and show the versatile portfolio we can offer to our clients. Four shipments, four continents, eight countries, and different sets of rules, languages and expectations in every one of them. From small breakbulk consignments to full heavy lift charters, a client only hands you a job like that if they trust you with every part of it – that is what makes me proud.“

Eduardo Pijpe

The post COLI Antwerp handles four out-of-gauge shipments across four continents appeared first on COLI Group.

The transformers were picked up at GE Vernova’s factory and loaded at Safiport in Derince, Türkiye. Ten units, ranging from 110 to 170 tonnes each, were offloaded at the port of Gdynia and transported onward by land to the job site. The remaining four transformers, each weighing 361 tonnes, were barged to Władysławowo, where a complex roro operation had to be carried out. Also, a temporary storage area was set up at Władysławowo while the job site itself was being prepared to receive the units.

Challenges

The onward land transport of the heavy transformers presented a series of legal, technical and logistical challenges. Several existing bridges along the route were unable to carry the weight of the cargo, requiring a temporary flyover structure to be mounted on top of the existing infrastructure. The operation also had to be coordinated closely with multiple local Polish authorities, and carried out through harsh winter conditions, with temperatures dropping to -15°C.

“We are very proud of our team and partners to have concluded this special and complex in a successful manner and I want to thank GE Vernova’s team for their trust. Thanks to the flexibility and close cooperation on both sides, we were able to overcome every obstacle along the way and deliver, as we say, a solution beyond the ordinary.”

Can Yılbaşı, Business Development Manager, COLI Istanbul

“I am very proud of our team and this project. Moving 14 large and heavy units to the same site in 3 months in challeging conditions is not something any freight forwarder does every day. A key reason that the project came to a succesful conclusion can be found in the combined efforts of people and locations in the COLI Group; that really brings out the value for our clients”.

Felix Peinemann, Managing Director of COLI Group

A milestone project

For COLI, the project represents a significant milestone: it’s the second time working directly with GE Vernova’s team in Poland, and a contribution to Baltica 2: a 1.5 GW offshore wind farm being developed by PGE Group and Ørsted in the Polish Baltic Sea. Scheduled for commissioning in 2027, Baltica 2 will be Poland’s largest-ever renewable energy investment, featuring 107 wind turbines with the capacity to power over 2.4 million households.

The post COLI Group delivers transport of 14 transformers for GE Vernova and Poland’s Baltica 2 offshore wind farm appeared first on COLI Group.

Over the past 2 years, the collaboration has led to a range of successful projects and valuable experiences on both sides.

We would like to thank the CSL team for the cooperation, commitment and the journey we have shared.

As both organisations continue to move forward with their own focus and priorities, this was a natural moment to finalize the partnership.

COLI Group and ABB remain fully committed to supporting clients worldwide with high-quality project logistics solutions, as always.

Following this decision, COLI Group is no longer involved in any activities related to the former joint venture.

The post Update on COLI Group’s partnership with CSL in China. appeared first on COLI Group.

Finding a workable route from factory to port was the main challenge. Permits were applied for, then road works were arranged and part of the route had to change, permits resubmitted, and the clock kept running. 
Our team worked hard: the cargo arrived at Paranaguá right in time. The Grande Nigeria sailed for Antwerp, the cylinder bound for its final destination in Poland.

A Brazilian paper drum. A Polish paper mill. And 480 km of careful navigation in between. 
Thanks to our partners at M+R Spedag Group and Hergen for the great collaboration!

The post Ten days. 480 km. One shot at the vessel. appeared first on COLI Group.

Looking ahead: further batches with similar parcels are coming up later this year, underlining the continuity and strength of this trade lane!

We’re proud to say that this project was (and continues to be) a smooth operation, made possible through close cooperation, coordination, and strong teamwork between all parties involved: thanks!

This is how we contribute to the reliable transport of industrial cargoes worldwide.

The post Successful Antwerp Port Operations for MV Stellar Trader & MV Lignum Nexus appeared first on COLI Group.

Cargo characteristics

• 10 conveyor belts
• Dimensions: 590 × 195 × 340 cm
• Weight: ± 37 tonnes per unit

Challenges

• Extremely high point loads, requiring engineered load distribution on flat racks
• Reach stackers operating at the edge of their lifting capacity
• Heavy snowfall, road closures (and even official stay-at-home advisories in Germany)
• Truck convoy transport from Poland to Hamburg to ensure safe and controlled delivery (4 trucks in December, 6 trucks in January)

Despite the pressure, road closures and engineering challenges COLI ensured smooth execution through meticulous planning, real-time adjustments, and by using its own logistics network across Europe and South America.

This project was another reminder that complex logistics is not about avoiding challenges, but about being prepared for them.

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