Evergreen Launches 300 ft barge atop another 300 ft barge with airbags

When talk about barge carrier people often think about LASH (Lighter Aboard SHip), SeaBees which equipped with the rail mounted gantry crane or a massive stern lift. Can a common barge carries a barge for transportation? And how to launch the carried barge?

Innovation

Evergreen Maritime launched one 230 feet barge from the 300 feet barge deck with marine airbags in 2014 September in Indonesia. This project arouses lots of interests from shipping companies, WINNING LOGISTIC is one of them. They planned to tow four same barges from China to Guinea KAMSAR port. Those 1300 tonnes barges measured by 300 feet long, 80 feet wide.

To load barge onto another barge is not difficult, considering China has most lifting barges. If the barge unloading problems can be solved then people can stack barges for towing to save time and money.

Accomplishment

Evergreen Maritime was contracted to take care of the barge launching job. The mother barge has same dimension with carried barge that means a higher demand of launching technology: barge must be launched along the central line of mother barge, less room for airbag lifting and rolling, precise ballast.etc.

Evergreen Maritime Engineer arrived in Guinea on 10th June, Incorporated with WINNING LOGISTIC, successfully launched two barges from the mother barges in two weeks. Mother barges were ballasted with about 3000 tonnes water before launching, 18 pieces airbags with 1.5 m diameter were deployed for the launching. Airbags act as the pneumatic rollers also a massive air cushion between barge carrier and barge that is the key factor of the launch safety.

Airbag launching is a versatile and flexible technology. Its innovative applications change some industries, such as shipbuilding ,structure transportation, marine salvage, etc. No doubts it will contribute more in the near future.

To be Continued

Evergreen Maritim accomplished  16 units 300 ft barge launching jobs for WINNING LOGISTIC and the launch contract is continued .