Towboat

When push boat, colloquially slipcase is called a pushing vessel in inland navigation, which itself carries no charge and one or more barges pushes. On the Rhine, there are up to six barges on the Lower Danube up to nine, and on the Mississippi, there may be more than 40 barges. The official abbreviation for a cargo ship barge is " GSL ", a tanker barge " TSL ". With the construction of push boats and related barges from for the tow boat trip on the Rhine within the inland navigation was initiated in the 60s final.

The principle is similar to that for tractor (truck without its own loading facility ) and semi-trailers. Push boat or tractor can be separated and continue from the Light or of the trailer; latter have a while the function of a portable camp until they are discharged or transported.

History

In the late 1920s undertook the Bavarian Lloyd on the Danube first test runs with the push boat converted to twin screw steamer Isar. 1929 Deggendorfer shipyard was commissioned to build the push boat eagle owl, which carried out the first test rides on 10 October 1930. The two each 350 hp diesel engines drove two Voith-Schneider propeller. Since this type of drive was still in development, it often came to operational failures. The first trips were with three tank barges which have been coupled to dovetail formation undertaken. Later, three tank barges were built, which had a total capacity of 810 tons at 1.25 m depth. Because of the many malfunctions of the drive system, the push boat ride was reinstated and 1939, the towboat to a conventional tractor was rebuilt, which then went under the name of Danzig.

Towboat

Push boats for Navigation on the Rhine will be built up to a size of 40.0 m × 15.0 m. The depth is up to 1.90 m. The big push boats that push up to six Light are mostly equipped with three diesel engines with a total power of up to 6,000 hp. The drive for the most current in Kort nozzles propeller via gearbox with reduction. The strongest push boat on the Rhine is the Hercules II ex. A. Auberger, with 6,030 hp. The crew of a push boat consists of six to seven men, including two skippers, a helmsman, a machinist as well as two to three sailors. The crews go in usually two weeks and then have two weeks free.

For better maneuverability, two flank surfaces are out of the main rowing forward of the propeller still mostly located in front of the propeller. Some push boats have instead also a very strong bow thruster.

On deck are out of the capstans aft, yet coupling winches for securing the barges. The coupling wires with a diameter of about three cm have a high breaking strength.

The structures for the accommodation, sanitary rooms, galley distributed mostly on two decks. It then is still the wheelhouse with all necessary for safe navigation facilities. In some push boats the helm is also hydraulically adjustable in height to low clearances can happen, or to have a better overview on special transports.

The world's most powerful push boat, the JS McDermott, has 10,500 hp and pushes up to 70 barges on the Mississippi. Normal are pushing units with 40 barges, on the jammed section of the Mississippi River just 15 Light are allowed. However, the Light only have a load capacity of 1500 tons.

Pushed convoy

The push boat is thereby coupled with the barges in a pushed convoy: Four GSL in the descent as well as in the ascent two side by side plus two before. A " six- Association " (with six GSL ) in the downhill three side by side plus three before that. In the ascent each 2 × 2 × 2 GSL. Depending on the size and number of Light has this pushed convoy then a load capacity of up to 16,000 tons of cargo. A " six- Association " (with six GSL - only allowed on the Lower Rhine ) drives both to mountain and valley to six barges.

The barges, type IIa Europe, have the dimension: 76.5 × 11.4 × 4.0 m and a load capacity of 2800 tons. The largest size for pushing units with 6 barges is 269.5 × 22.8 m in the ascent, and 193.0 × 34.2 m in the downhill. Depending on weather conditions, strong wind, used in the blank descent than those with front Light -headed. This is controlled from the wheelhouse.

A traveling to mountain, empty ( sa descent) pushed convoy with four barges can also be turned to the valley on the river from a certain water level ( Rhine). Usual, but not regularly, it is on the descent to the valley in Duisburg, but then with an "empty " association. A barge train, whether loaded or empty, with only two barges, can turn on the Rhine without problem to the valley or turn to mountain. The enormous engine power allowed at normal descent, a stopping of the course of about 800-1000 m. For emergency braking, this route is used to reduce the stern anchor to about 400-500 m.

Besides the big push boats described above, there are a large number of smaller boats that move only one or two lighters, or put together pushed convoys in the ports. A special form of the drag - thrust boats. These can both push, as well as drag. There are mostly older tugs to which a thrust stage was grown with coupling winches.

In the passenger shipping one the pushed convoy similar principle is the concept of "Twin Cruiser" used to transport passengers comfortably can. The separation of the transport unit, here the cabin vessel, and drive unit, the load of passengers is greatly reduced noise and vibration. Unlike convoys transporting goods thrust unit and pushed unit but are permanently coupled together.

Coupling Association

Another form in the thrust shipping is the axis group. This is a compilation of a cargo ship with up to three barges. This allowed the dimensions of 185.0 x 22.8 not exceed m. In recent years, more and more pushing units, which consist only of motor vessel and especially a matching Light, built. When it comes to construction, to create between the stern of the barge and the bow of the ship's engine, a streamlined connection as possible in order to reduce operating costs. These associations go both in the ascent, as well as to the valley, coupled successively.

The connection of the two ships is done either as in the pushed convoy means of coupling winches and wires, or by special hydraulic couplings, HA DU clutch. These make it possible that you can pass through tight corners with a coupling Association, by being able to deflect the link between ship and barge according to both sides by up to 12 degrees.

Head Barge

Head barges are used in the transport of hulls that are with a push boat on the Main for the final to a shipyard, mostly in the Netherlands, brought.

The head barges are secured with four coupling winches front of the hull, and allow for narrow channels through the built-in bow thruster, a safe ride. They are equipped with a separate ballast system, so its depth can be adjusted. Often from old ship parts front head barges built ( see picture). The head Barge Datrans 2 has the following dimensions: L = 8.08 m, B = 9.50 m, depth 0.87 to 3.23 m, 350 hp and is a completely new building.

Head barges were once used in the transport of LASH barges on inland waterways, so that was streamlined the association.

Swell

• German inland tanker sector 1887-1994 v.Ingo Heidbrink Convent Publishing ISBN 3-934613-09-8