SAL Heavy Lift and Wuhu Shipyard signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 3 September 2026 for five additional 14,600 DWT multipurpose heavy-lift vessels, extending a partnership that has already delivered the Orca Class series. The agreement was announced during SMM 2026 in Hamburg. The new vessels will feature a single large cargo hold with leading cargo volume and hatch dimensions for their size segment, enabling open-hatch transport of oversized and ultra-heavy cargo. Each ship will carry two customized heavy-lift cranes with a combined lifting capacity of up to 1,600 tonnes, making the design suitable for offshore wind components, large engineering modules and other complex project cargoes. SAL Heavy Lift, part of Germany's Harren Group, originally ordered 4+2 Orca Class vessels from Wuhu Shipyard in 2022 and later exercised an option, bringing the first confirmed series to five ships. Several of these, including Elise, Frida and Patricia, have already been delivered or entered service, with the remaining units still under construction. If the new Memorandum is converted into firm contracts, total cooperation on this 14,600 DWT platform could reach ten vessels. Wuhu Shipyard has built up nearly two decades of experience in the European multipurpose and heavy-lift market, working with owners such as Rickmers-related companies, Wijnne Barends, Bore, Langh Ship, SAL/Harren and Spliethoff. The renewed order underscores continued European reliance on Chinese yards for specialized, high-value vessel construction.