Baco Liner

BaCo Liner an abbreviation for 'Ba'rge - 'Co'ntainer - Carrier, was a shipping service between Europe and Africa owned by Seerederei Bacoliner GmbH of Duisburg, Germany. It used a fleet of specialized barge carrying LASH vessels which have a very unusual design:[1] they carry both conventional shipping containers, and barges that are loaded through twin doors in the bow, a kind of 'float in-float out' arrangement.[2][3]

Baco-liner
A barge being loaded into a Baco Liner ship in 1994
Class overview
NameBaco-liner
BuildersNordseewerke
OperatorsSeerederei Bacoliner GmbH
Planned3
Completed3
Retired3
General characteristics
TypeLASH ship
Tonnage22345 tonnes
Length205 m (673 ft)
Beam28.5 m (94 ft)
Draught6.65 m (21.8 ft)
Ramps2 bow doors
Speed15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Capacity12 barges with 800 tonnes each
A Baco Liner ship in a Blohm + Voss floating drydock in Hamburg

This system of barges inside a larger ship allowed cargo to be discharged while at anchor mid-stream in African ports, avoiding port delays.[4] The barges could be loaded up to 800 tonnes each, 12 could be loaded per ship. Container capacity was 500-650 TEU.[5]

Each vessel was approx. 205 m long, 28.5 m beam, operating on a loaded draught of 6.65 m. Gross tonnage 22345 tonnes, deadweight 21800 tonnes including 12 barges with 800 tonnes each. Service speed was 15 knots.

In 2007, 24 Filipino crew of a Baco Liner vessel were kidnapped by pirates in Chanomi Creek, Nigeria.[6]

Fleet and fate

The fleet comprised the three barge carriers: BACO-LINER 1, BACO-LINER 2 and BACO-LINER 3, all completed between 1979 and 1984 by Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH at Emden. They sailed under the Liberian flag, serving ports between Nouadhibou, Mauritania, and Port Harcourt, Nigeria.[7]

BACO-LINER 3 was scrapped in Alang Beach, India, in July 2012. BACO-LINER 2 followed there in June 2013 and BACO-LINER 1 in August 2013. Vessel tracking services now list all three Baco-liners as scrapped.

References
  1. Romahn, K (1981). "Baco Liner--a New Type of Ship With Structural Members of Interest With Respect to Welding". Deutscher Verband für Schweisstechnik. Deutscher Verband für Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren e.V.: 68–72. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  2. "Seereederei Bacoliner GmbH - Slideshow". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  3. Sonstegaard, Miles H. (March 1987). "World standards for shipborne barges". Transportation Research Part A: General. Elsevier. 21 (2): 139–144. doi:10.1016/0191-2607(87)90006-9.
  4. Tolofari, S. R. (1981). "The potential for barge-carrying ships: A case study". Transportation Planning and Technology. 12 (2): 89–104. doi:10.1080/03081068808717363.
  5. "CN Shipping Ltd / Services / BACO Liner". Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  6. "CHRONOLOGY-Nigerian kidnappings of foreigners in oil delta". Reuters. 26 March 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  7. "Lloyd's Register of Shipping". 2005. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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