German carrier SAL Heavy Lift has announced the expansion of its semi-submersible fleet with the acquisition of two vessels from South Korea’s Pan Ocean. The MV Sun Shine and MV Sun Rise will join the company between October 2025 and April 2026 and will be operated under the JSI (Jumbo-SAL-Intermarine) alliance.
This move follows the long-term charter of the Zhong Ren 121 and Zhong Ren 122 in 2023. With the new additions, SAL will effectively double its capacity in this highly specialized segment.
“We listened carefully to our clients while operating the Zhong Ren vessels and saw a growing demand for additional tonnage and greater operational flexibility,” said Matthieu Moeremans, Director of Renewables & Offshore at the JSI alliance. “With four semi-submersible vessels in this segment, we can now deliver even higher-quality services and tailor-made solutions for large-scale and complex projects.”
The MV Sun Shine (DWT 17,113 tons) was built in South Korea in 2008, while the MV Sun Rise (DWT 24,629 tons) was built in China in 2012. Upon delivery, the ships will be renamed Luisa and Alma, after the daughters of two Harren Group colleagues.
“These two vessels are of great importance to our group,” said Martin Harren, CEO of Harren Group and SAL Heavy Lift. “They allow us to extend our service range — from smaller multipurpose vessels to large semi-submersible deck carriers. This means we now cover the full spectrum of multipurpose and heavy lift shipping, giving our clients access to the most powerful fleet in the world.”
To support this growth, SAL Heavy Lift plans to expand its sales, engineering, and operations teams in Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Singapore.
Together with Intermarine, SAL operates around 75 multipurpose and heavy lift vessels. Through its partnership with Jumbo Shipping under the JSI alliance, the combined fleet reaches approximately 85 multipurpose, heavy lift, and offshore vessels.
