Deltamarin unveils ice-breaking barge design

Deltamarin has designed an LNG-fuelled ice-breaking barge for inland waterway cargo transport that can be linked to a pusher tug.

Designed to be part of an articulated tug-barge system for larger bulk cargo transport, the multipurpose DeltaBreaker self-propelled barge can break through ice up to 0.6 metres thick.

Its hull shape has low resistance through water and ice, which makes it ideal for inland waterway transport in ice-prone waters, such as in central Europe and Russia.

The design, which has space for two containers and additional equipment for fire-fighting and oil spill, allows operations on waterways of international (CEMT) class IV. Smaller and larger versions can be developed.

The design includes an articulated tug-barge (ATB) system connection, and can be used for carrying bulk cargo, containers, oil or products, accommodation modules or as LNG transport/bunkering facilities.