A new style of articulated tug and barge (ATB) is set to call across Brazil.
Domestic carrier Alianca Navegacao e Logistica is pressing ahead with a project to build two sea-going 700 teu tug-barge sets for services along the Brazilian coast and on the Amazon River.
Alianca ordered these cabotage vessels in late 2021 for delivery in late 2024 or early 2025. The ships will be Brazilian-flagged and Brazilian-crewed and they represent an investment of about $60m, according to Alphaliner.
Canadian naval architect firm Robert Allan has been awarded a contract by Brazil’s Rio Maguari Shipyard to develop the container barge design for Alianca, which is part of the AP Moller-Maersk Group.
The Canadian architects have revealed what the new vessels will look like.
The TRAnsfer 3800 tug will measure 37.5 m by 13 m, by 6.2 m depth, have a marine diesel fuel storage capacity of 360 cu m and a freshwater capacity of 45 cu m. Propulsion machinery will include two Wärtsilä 6L32 main engines.
The ATB connecting pins are Intercon model 34C, rated to permit the tug to stay in the notch during all loading/offloading operations by allowing relative vertical movement of the tug and barge while still connected.
Each barge will measure 130 m by 28 m, by 8 m depth. The barges will be fitted with a 500 kW Schottel SST2 bow thruster.
“These two new ATB convoys will significantly improve the coastal transportation market in terms of energy efficiency, operational safety, innovation and crew comfort,” Robert Allan stated in a release.
