New Pushboat for Cargill Transportation’s Amazon River Service
November 23, 2016
Construction of a fleet of Robert Allan Ltd. designed pushboats and barges for Cargill Transportation was recently completed. The latest addition to the fleet of vessels used for transporting soy beans on the Amazon River system, is a shallow-draft RApide 2000-Z2 Class pushboat built at Estaleiro Rio Maguari in Belém.
The Cargill Jau is the first of the new RApide 2000-Z2 Class pushboats and is designed to assist with port manoeuvres at Cargill’s terminals on the Amazon River. This vessel is one of a growing number of modern Z-drive pushboats designed by Robert Allan Ltd. for operation in this area.
The particulars of the Cargill Jau are as follows:
- Length overall: 19.5 m
- Beam, moulded, extreme: 9.0 m
- Depth, moulded (hull): 3.1 m
- Normal operating draft: 2.1 m
The pushboats were designed to ABS and Brazilian NORMAM-02 requirements, built under survey of Brazilian classification society Bureau Colombo and are outfitted to the highest standards. The wheelhouse is designed for maximum all-round visibility with a split forward control station providing maximum visibility to the foredeck working area of the pushboat as well as to the convoy of barges ahead. To increase operational flexibility accommodation for up to four people is provided onboard, even though intended operations will normally occur on shifts close to one of the terminals.
The deckhouse extends aft over the main propulsion components, which comprise a pair of Caterpillar C18 diesel engines, driving Schottel SRP 330 Z-drive units. The drives are fitted in tunnels designed to optimize flow while reducing draft. Two identical Caterpillar diesel gen-sets are provided in the vessel’s auxiliary machinery space located below the main deck.
For more information on the RApide 2000-Z2 or any of the RApide Class pushboats, barges, or on any other specialized, shallow draft vessel designs developed by Robert Allan Ltd., please contact us at design@ral.ca.