Concordia Damen Bags Order for 40 Dual-fuel Tank Barges

Dutch shipbuilder Concordia Damen said Friday it has signed a contract for 40 eco-friendly dual-fuel barges with institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management. The barges will be chartered by Shell and operated by the VT Group/Marlow. Frachtcontor Capital Partners was the broker for the deal.

The 110- by 11.5-meters vessels will have liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion and extreme shallow draft capabilities – 2,800 ton on 3.25 meter draft – to maximize cargo carrying capacity on Dutch, Belgian and German canal and river networks.

The VT Group is specialized in inland shipping, transporting minerals, chemical products, bio fuels and lubricants. The Parsifal tankers will transport mineral oils between Antwerp, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Rhine network.

Concordia Damen will begin building the tank barges in December this year, with planned delivery of the first vessel in November 2021. After that, the yard will deliver another vessel each month, completing the order by December 2024.

(Image: Damen)