Concordia Damen to build 5,400 bhp Paraguay River push boat
Written by Nick Blenkey
Ultra shallow draft will give Damen’s Paraguay River push boat a competitive edge in low water conditions. [Image: Concordia Damen]
Damen Shipyards Group’s specialist inland waterways yard, Concordia Damen in Werkendam, Netherlands, has won a contract to build a 5,400 bhp CDS4115 shallow draft river push boat for Paraguayan shipowner and operator Girona S.A. – Rio Sur Transporte y Logistica.
The vessel will expand the company’s fleet of vessels operating on the 2,695 kilometer (1,675 mile) Paraguay River.
Concordia Damen has thoroughly researched the characteristics of the Paraguay River in relation to the desired operational profile of the vessel. Based on this, its engineers designed the most efficient pusher considering local conditions. This resulted in a proven low draft push boat design, several of which have already been built for and delivered to Paraguayan clients in the past. The 5.400 HP river pusher is a further development of these earlier pushers.
The CDS4115 type measures 41 x 15.5 meters. In a push-barge configuration with 12-barges, the combination will measure 281 meters long x 48 meters wide. The three Yanmar 6EY22AW engines generate a power of 1330 kW each.
Rio Sur will use the combinations mostly for transporting dry bulk cargo on the Paraguay – Parana Rivers. The rivers are known for low draft conditions during several months each year during dry season. The low draft design of the CDS4115 shallow draft, will enable them to continue operating year round, even with a draft as low as 6.5 feet, which gives a huge advantage compared to many other push boats on the river.
“We are very pleased with the trust that Girona – Rio Sur and the Dos Santos family have given us,” said Bert Duijzer, technical manager at Concordia Damen. “Our technology, technological reliability, short delivery times and service-oriented mentality were key in obtaining this contract.”
After outfitting the river push boat at the Concordia Damen shipyard yard in Werkendam, Girona´s superintendents will come to the Netherlands for the acceptance trials and the hand-over.
