Western Australia-based mining company Mineral Resources (MinRes) has taken delivery of a new transshipment barge for transporting iron ore from shore to larger cargo ships off the coast.
MinRes Karri was built by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry of China with design work done by MinRes in collaboration with various naval architects.
MinRes Karri is the seventh and final transshipment barge in a series of vessels that were delivered to MinRes beginning in 2024.
The ABS-classed transshipment barges were designed for operation with tugs.
When locked together, each transshipment barge and tug operates as one vessel to transport iron ore from the Port of Ashburton in Western Australia to Capesize bulk carriers anchored 40 kilometres offshore.
MinRes designed, built, and is managing the mining and transport infrastructure that unlocks iron ore deposits that would otherwise remain undeveloped in Western Australia's West Pilbara region, and the barges are part of the infrastructure under the Mineral Resources Onslow Iron Project.
MinRes Karri has a length of 123 metres, a beam of 36 metres, a depth of nine metres, and a draught of just seven metres even when loaded with 20,000 tonnes of iron ore.
MinRes said the shallow draught eliminates the need to build deep-water ports. The design also significantly reduced the amount of seabed dredging required for the loading berth at the Port of Ashburton.
