ShipSpotting.com Forum
Shipspotters all over the world => Help and Advice => Topic started by: Chip Shiplington on August 23, 2012, 02:37:25 PM
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Can someone please explain to me what is going on in this photograph? ??? ??? ??? http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1520304
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"I heard you like barges, so we put some barges on your barge".
Apparently it's a deck cargo pontoon loaded with barges and/or small river cargo ships. It's quite common way to ship them from the shipyard to their final destination especially if they are not allowed to sail by themselves in the open seas.
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It is, or was common for the hulls to be constructed in China and shipped over to Holland as deck cargo for final fitting out. Don't know if hulls were ever constructed in the "cheaper" yards of Europe as happens for coasters? The economics of modern ship construction often involves sub-contracting for either cost or yard capacity reasons.
Interesting that these modern river barges are often 3 or 4 times the size of the traditional coaster of the 1950's/60's and yet you wouldn't want to cross the North Sea in one!!
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It's a consignment of hulls and deckhouses built in China to be completed in Holland. They're all inland barges. They're built in China, then shipped on a heavy lift carrier to the Netherlands.
On arrival, they're discharged and towed to various Dutch yards for fitting out with machinery. interiors etc. You'll find more of these under the category "heavy lift".
Rgds,
Robert.
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This is just brilliant!
Thank you Robert, Riverman2903 and Tuomas - what informative posts!
"I heard you like barges, so we put some barges on your barge" LOL!:D
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Thank you all for your very informative answers. They are much appreciated.
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I knew I had a photograph of such a cargo arriving from China and here it is. Yongxing inbound for Rotterdam 25/06/2005 with a deck cargo of two barges for fitting out.
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1630117
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That's fantastic Riverman2903! Thank you! ;D ;D
How fascinating this all is!