Exploring the World of Barges. Whether you’re new to the marine industry or you’re a more seasoned veteran, it’s always fun to visit the basics of barges. Did you know we have been using marine barges in the modern world since before the Industrial Revolution?
A barge is defined as a type of marine vessel that’s mainly used for cargo transportation. They don’t move independently like a boat; they float and are towed or tugged by other vessels. Barges are flat-bottomed to ensure maximum cargo capacity and are used in lakes, canals, and inland waterway, and often at seaports.
Types of marine barges
Although a wide variety of barges exists, a handful are more common in shipping and cargo transportation:
- Dry Bulk Cargo Barges: These barges are used to haul and ferry dry cargo, including products such as food, grains, sand, materials like steel and coal, and other dry items.
- Barges Carrying Liquid Cargo: Just as the name implies, these barges carry liquids such as petrochemicals and fertilizers that are used mainly in the liquid state, along with other industrial liquid chemicals.
- Split Hopper Barge: The split hopper barge is extensively used in marine construction purposes to carry dredged material such as soil or sand. It can unload material at the site and features a hydraulically operated split open hull.
Other barges include power barges (which are like mobile power plants), royal barges for countries that still hold celebrations for monarchs and other royalty, and even barracks barges that are used for residential purposes.
Size, capacity, and efficiency, and use of barges
Barges are classified by their use and their cargo capacity. In the US, a typical barge size is 195 feet by 35 feet and can hold up to 1500 tons of cargo. Newer barges can be up to 209 feet by 50 feet and can hold twice as much cargo tonnage as traditional barges.
With all of the innovation recently to the logistics industry, why would you choose barge transportation over rail, trucks or even air cargo transport? On average, barge rates are almost half of what it costs for rail cargo and nearly 95% lower than truck rates, positioning barge transport as a highly economical way to move cargo.
Also, many barges are made specifically for a certain body of water — the size and capacity are “built” for that waterway and the barge may never travel more than a few routes for the span of its use. Because many cargo barges can be used for one trip of cargo transport, it’s an ideal way to tug or tow high volumes of cargo.
Difference between barges and ships
“All barges can be ships but not all ships can be barges.” Keep that in mind when differentiating between the two. Here are the most important differences between the two:
Definition: Large watercraft can be referred to as a ship or vessel, but a barge is a ship with a flat bottom and used for transporting cargo on inland waterways.
Route: While ships sail on both inland and international waterways, barges are typically seen on inland waterways only — a river, canal, creek, or an estuary.
Transportation: Ships can serve many purposes and transport both goods and people, but barges are only used for transporting cargo.
Propelling: Ships have a self-propelling system, while barges need a tug or towboat to move and don’t have any system onboard for propelling.
Maneuvering: A ship is a self-propelled floating object, so moving a ship is comparatively easier than the barges which are tugged and harder to maneuver.
Benefits of barge transportation
Along with the lower cost as mentioned before, barges can offer huge benefits when it comes to cutting costs for your supply chain. Barge transportation produces far fewer emissions than traditional trucking, helping to improve the environment. Their use can also reduce traffic congestion on roadways, which also contributes to better air quality.
Barges are also responsible for moving several important resources here in the US, along with 60% of the country’s grains. Barges are also commonly used for transporting fuel and coal to help power our businesses and our economy.
Whether you’ve had years of barge transport experience or you’re just starting out in this industry, we can provide the marine supplies you need to keep your barge fleet in top shape. We are committed to delivering a high-quality product along with prompt, friendly and professional customer service. We take great pride in our ability to provide our customers with products they need, when they need it and at prices that are very reasonable.
FAQs
Did you know, one of the earliest known barges was Egyptian, dating from 2500 BC? Officially acknowledged as the Khufu Ship, it was a solar vessel intended for use in the afterlife by King Khufu, the 2nd Pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty, to allow him to travel through the Heavens with the Sun God Ra.
What is the difference between a barge and a boat? ›
A barge is defined as a long, flat-bottomed boat which is used on both canals and rivers for carrying freight. Barges are either towed by another boat, or under its own power. The type of freight that a barge would usually carry would be heavy goods and bulk cargo – rather than recreational use.
What is a spud barge? ›
A spud barge – sometimes called a jack-up barge – is a specialized type of barge commonly used for marine construction operations. The barge is moored by steel shafts or through-deck piling, which are essentially pipes driven right into the soil or sand at the bottom of the water to provide stability.
How much weight can a barge carry? ›
In the US, a typical barge size is 195 feet by 35 feet and can hold up to 1500 tons of cargo. Newer barges can be up to 209 feet by 50 feet and can hold twice as much cargo tonnage as traditional barges.
What is the oldest ship still floating? ›
Built in Boston and launched in 1797, USS CONSTITUTION is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world today. During the War of 1812 the ship gained fame and its name “Old Ironsides.” CONSTITUTION remains both a training and ceremonial ship for the Navy, as well as an educational experience for visitors.
How deep does a barge sit in the water? ›
Based on their draft, the presence of vessels can provide clues to the minimum depth in the immediate area: Small outboard-powered barges and push boats- 2 feet; large tugs- 10 feet; large barges empty- 2 feet; large barges full- 10 feet.
What is the bottom of a barge called? ›
The bottom of a boat is commonly referred to as the "hull." The hull is the main body of the boat that sits in the water and provides buoyancy and stability.
Can a barge cross the ocean? ›
Barges are also used primarily for transporting cargo and don't typically travel across international waters (like seas or oceans) while ships can carry cargo or people. Barges fall into categories based on how they're being used and how much cargo they can hold.
What is the boat called that pushes barges? ›
A pusher, pusher craft, pusher boat, pusher tug, or towboat, is a boat designed for pushing barges or car floats. In the United States, the industries that use these vessels refer to them as towboats.
What is a jack up barge? ›
Jack-up Barges, Self-elevating Platforms, Lift boats & Spud pontoons are a type of mobile unit that consists of a rectangular hull fitted with usually three to four, round or square legs, capable of raising its hull over the surface of the sea.
A hopper barge is a type of barge commonly designed to transport commodities like coal, steel, rocks, sand, soil and waste. 'Hopper barge' can also refer to a barge that dumps cargo at sea.
What is a Dutch barge called? ›
The Dutch call them 'Zwaarden' which oddly translates to English as 'Swords'. So what are they for? A sailing barge has a very shallow but wide and flat bottom, typically less than 1 meter deep. Being built like this allows them to be sailed in very shallow waters.
How deep is a barge ship? ›
A barge is 50.0 m wide, 40.0m long and 9m deep.
Does a barge have an engine? ›
Barges cannot function independently and usually need a tow or a tug boat to pull them. They don't have a motor or engine, but workers can safely pull the barges through lakes, canals, and seaports.
How many gallons of fuel can a barge hold? ›
Each barge contains 714,000 gallons of fuel. Each truck carries 7,500 gallons of fuel, so it takes approximately 95 trucks to equal one barge.
What is the oldest vessel in the world? ›
Pesse canoe is the oldest known boat on Earth and carbon-dating indicates that it is from the Mesolithic era between 8040 BCE to 7510 BCE. One of the Pesse canoes is currently on display in the Drents Museum in the Netherlands.
What is the oldest tall ship still sailing? ›
Star of India, built in 1863, is the world's oldest active sailing ship and has circumnavigated the globe twenty-one times.
What is the oldest boat ever found? ›
The approximately 3,300-year-old ship with a cargo of hundreds of intact amphorae was found 90 kilometers off northern Israel's coast, at a depth of 1.8 km. “Only two other shipwrecks with cargo are known from the Late Bronze Age in the Mediterranean Sea…both found off the Turkish coast.
What is the oldest water vessel? ›
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A company drilling for natural gas off the coast of northern Israel discovered a 3,300-year-old ship and its cargo, one of the oldest known examples of a ship sailing far from land, the Israel Antiquities Authority said Thursday.
