VESSEL REVIEW | Havana – Victrol to operate new bunkering barge on European inland waters

Belgian shipping company Victrol has expanded its fleet with the recent acquisition of a new self-propelled bunkering barge built by Rensen-Driessen Shipbuilding in the Netherlands.

The Lloyd’s Register-classed Havana will be operated by Victrol while ownership will remain with Petro Shipping. The barge will serve customers primarily within the Rhine River and the Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam region.

Havana has a length of 135 metres (443 feet), a beam of 15 metres (49 feet), a depth of four metres (13 feet), and 18 cargo tanks with a total capacity of 6,400 tonnes.

This cargo configuration allows for the transport of large volumes of marine fuels for bunkering of ships that operate in the open sea as well as those built for inland waters.

Modern and precise measuring systems for bunkering

Key features include a bunkering boom and a mass flow meter (MFM), which will provide an accurate measurement of the volume of fuel transferred to another vessel during bunkering operations.

MFMs have been seeing more widespread use worldwide as these are not as prone to errors compared to traditional tank sounding methods.

The installation of an MFM on Havana is in line with directives by the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges that require MFMs for bunker deliveries on barges of at least 300 GT beginning next year.

Tank-Eye fitted the barge with valves that allow for closed multi-level sampling and accurate closed measuring of ullage and water. The valves also eliminate vapour exposure, thus making the onboard environment safer for the crew.

Comfortable interior spaces

Rugotech meanwhile supplied the ship’s complete deck piping system.

Hoogendoorn was responsible for finishing of the interiors in the wheelhouse and the aft living quarters. The spaces feature a blend of dark wood and beige.