Power Barge Market: ASRY, Centrax Debut New Systems

Bahrain’s Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard Co (ASRY) has joined forces with UK-based power generation packaging specialist Centrax, to form a joint venture company ASRY-Centrax Ltd, to design and build Power Barges – essentially floating electricity generating power stations.  ASRY has designed the barges itself, and will build them on its two large slipways. 

The initial design is the TPB125 Power Barge, a 125MWe unit based on a standard barge design and outfitted with a pair of Rolls-Royce Trent 60 gas turbines, selling for between $100 to $125 million based on final outfitting factors such as security systems, and the need for amenities such as night vision equipment and helidecks, for example. While a figure for the overall global demand for such power barges is not readily available, the demand for power barges is growing in developing economies such as Africa and South America, particularly where land-based power plants are not an attractive option for reasons of finance, security, or both.