A new type of barge
The German HGK Shipping has put another low-water vessel into service in Rotterdam. The Type C tanker was christened "Synthese 18" and will be used to transport liquid chemical products on the Rhine and its tributaries. The vessel combines a draught-optimised design with a diesel-electric drive.
"In this way, we are succeeding in shaping the transformation process towards decarbonised inland navigation together with industry," says Steffen Bauer, CEO of HGK Shipping.
With a draught of only 1.05 m, the ship will still be able to transport 300 t of additional cargo. The maximum loading capacity is 2,700 t. HGK's tanker fleet transports about 6 million t of liquid cargo annually on the Rhine and its tributaries as well as in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. (sh)