Baco Liner Explained

BaCo Liner an abbreviation for 'Ba'rge - 'Co'ntainer - Carrier, was a shipping service between Europe and Africa owned by Seerederei Bacoliner GmbH of Duisburg, Germany. It used a fleet of specialized barge carrying LASH vessels which have a very unusual design:[1] they carry both conventional shipping containers, and barges that are loaded through twin doors in the bow, a kind of 'float in-float out' arrangement.[2] [3]

This system of barges inside a larger ship allowed cargo to be discharged while at anchor mid-stream in African ports, avoiding port delays.[4] The barges could be loaded up to 800 tonnes each, 12 could be loaded per ship. Container capacity was 500-650 TEU.[5]

Each vessel was approx. 205 m long, 28.5 m beam, operating on a loaded draught of 6.65 m. Gross tonnage 22345 tonnes, deadweight 21800 tonnes including 12 barges with 800 tonnes each. Service speed was 15 knots.

In 2007, 24 Filipino crew of a Baco Liner vessel were kidnapped by pirates in Chanomi Creek, Nigeria.[6]

Fleet and fate

The fleet comprised the three barge carriers: BACO-LINER 1, BACO-LINER 2 and BACO-LINER 3, all completed between 1979 and 1984 by Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH at Emden. They sailed under the Liberian flag, serving ports between Nouadhibou, Mauritania, and Port Harcourt, Nigeria.[7]

BACO-LINER 3 was scrapped in Alang Beach, India, in July 2012. BACO-LINER 2 followed there in June 2013 and BACO-LINER 1 in August 2013. Vessel tracking services now list all three Baco-liners as scrapped.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Romahn . K . Baco Liner--a New Type of Ship With Structural Members of Interest With Respect to Welding . Deutscher Verband für Schweisstechnik . 68–72 . Deutscher Verband für Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren e.V. . 1981 . 15 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120404172543/http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=200143003004MT&q=Baco+Liner+a+New+Type+of+Ship+With+Structural+Members+of+Interest+With+Respect+to+Welding&uid=789745983&setcookie=yes . 4 April 2012 .
  2. Web site: Seereederei Bacoliner GmbH - Slideshow. 14 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718201132/http://www.baco-liner.de/sav/slide1/002.html. 2011-07-18. dead.
  3. Sonstegaard . Miles H. . World standards for shipborne barges . Transportation Research Part A: General . 21 . 2 . 139–144 . . March 1987 . 10.1016/0191-2607(87)90006-9 .
  4. Tolofari . S. R. . The potential for barge-carrying ships: A case study . Transportation Planning and Technology . 12 . 2 . 89–104 . 1981 . 10.1080/03081068808717363 .
  5. Web site: CN Shipping Ltd / Services / BACO Liner. 14 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110708171657/http://www.cnship.com/services_baco.htm. 8 July 2011 . live.
  6. News: CHRONOLOGY-Nigerian kidnappings of foreigners in oil delta . . 26 March 2007 . 16 August 2010.
  7. Lloyd's Register of Shipping . 2005 .

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