Pusher-barges appeal for coal by sea trade

Press, 27 June 1987, Page 24

Pusher-barges appeal for coal by sea trade

JOHN CALLAN

NZPA Wellington Innovative pusherbarges may be introduced on the New Zealand coast if contracts are won to move coal by sea rather than rail.

Bringing a high-tech touch to an age-old transport mode, the Finnishdesigned Wartsila marine train consists of a pushertug which propels barges by locking into their sterns.

The versatile barges have been up to 50 per cent more cost effective than conventional shipping since they were introduced in Europe in the mid-19705.

Coupling and uncoupling of a barge and a tug takes about a minute and one tug can work up to four 5000 tonne dead weight barges carrying a similar weight of cargo. The New Zealand Shipping Line and Coalcorp are negotiating a contract to move coal by the new barges which, if successful, would result in contracts being let for building the barges. Preliminary work by New Zealand shipping interests has resulted in

shipbuilding yards in Whangarei, Lyttleton, Dunedin, Singapore, Australia and Finland expressing interest in building the barges. Although the notion of introducing the barges for coastal trade is not new, because of the weakening state of coastal shipping and the number of imperilled minor ports, the idea is becoming harder to resist.

Tenders called recently to build one tug and three 110 metre long, 5000 tonne barges revealed little difference in prices between . . local and overseas shipbuilders — as long as the 15 per cent New Zealand Government bounty is included. Bounty provisions, which cover locally-built vessels up to 70 metres in length, are due to expire next March.

But applications from New Zealand shipping interests to have the bounty apply to larger vessels and continue past next March have been turned down by Government.

Already, yards in Singapore, Finland and Australia have made competitive tenders, Mr Macdonald said.

Once a contract is started, Mr Macdonald believes it will be up to 18 months before the barges are hauling cargo on the New Zealand coast.

Although Mr Macdonald would not say how much a tug and three barges would cost to build, he puts the Government’s 15 per cent bounty on such a contract at “about $4 million.” He said he was saddened by the prospect of paying overseas shipbuilders to do work which local yards were perfectly capable of doing. “But in some ways it will be easier to have the barges built overseas. Finance will certainly be easier to obtain — the governments concerned will see to that,” he said. <

While the barges are compatible with roll-on roll-off operations, their impressive capacity to quickly turnaround bulk cargos such as timber, wood chips, iron sand, steelscrap, bauxite, coal, cement, fresh water and grain is winning the system a growing number of supporters in New Zealand.

The fact that in Europe barges regularly dis-

charge up to 1300 tonnes-an-hour of bulk cargo makes their introduction look most compelling, the New Zealand agent for Wartsila, Mr Ron Macdonald. said this week.

Fully computerised, the tug requires a smaller crew than conventional ships and its reduced draft means it can work in shallow ports not accessible to other vessels.

The ability to work in shallow water means the barges would be able to shave days off some coastal routes, Mr Macdonald said.

Another advantage is that the most expensive part of the system, the pusher-tug and its crews, can be kept working almost continuously while barges load and unload, he said. Both Mr Macdonald and the New Zealand Line have costed a New Zealand pusher-barge operation in detail.

But neither is prepared to talk specific figures beyond saying the system would cut coastal shipping costs "substantially.” "The freight rates are going to be irresistible for anyone wanting to shift bulk cargo,” Mr Macdonald said.