327
November 2005

Big Power for Inland Waterways

The Century with three barges passes one of Holland's many modern
windmills.

The Dutch inland waterways fleet, already the largest in Europe, continues to grow in number as well as capacity. The new vessel Century, well represents this trend. At 110 by 11.45 meters she is not the largest class of vessel on the waterways, but her two 3200 HP generated by a pair of Cummins KTA 50 M2 main engines each producing 1600 HP at 1800 RPM give her the power required to push three additional barges. The ship’s hull was built at the Begej Shipyard in Serbia www.begej.co.yu and finished out at the K. Damen Shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam the Netherlands (www.shipyardkdamen.com)

The Century enters the Kreekrak locks on the 36-kilometer long
Rijn-Schelde Canal.

In early November Captain Jan Vlap was hauling containers between the German river port of Mannheim on the Rhine and the port of Antwerp in Belgium. Passing through the Kreekrak locks on the 36-kilometer long Rijn-Schelde Canal that takes vessels south from the Rhine River system at Rotterdam south to Antwerp. In her huge open hold the Century can carry up to 208 TEU (twenty-foot units) stacked four wide and four high. Each of her three barges, arranged one ahead and two along the port side, can handle up to 120 TEUs stacked four high and three wide.

But on this voyage low water levels on the Rhine limited the allowable draft so a reduced number of containers were evenly distributed over the four vessels to maintain an equally reduced draft. The loading to a specific draft is made easier with the aid of a SYGO lading meter mounted in the deckhead of the wheelhouse. This gauge provides digital readouts of the depth and/or the tonnage of the tow from several positions.

For inland waterways, with their many low bridges, the vessels air draft is as important as its water draft. On the Century this is measured by a Hoogte Meter that shows the elevation of the top of the wheelhouse above the waterline. From a minimum air draft of seven meters, the wheel house can be elevated another 5.4 meters. With the radar mast also elevated the combined maximum air draft is 16 meters giving the navigator good visibility forward over the four-high containers.

The 3200 HP generated by the Cummins mains is important in pushing up against the Rhine River currents. But the vessel’s powerful bow thrusters come into play when maneuvering into locks or getting alongside a quay. With containers stacked high, the length of the vessel and barges can create a huge windage push. As he eases the four hulls into the Kreekrak Locks, Capt. Vlap works the throttles and clutches on the two KTA50 mains while keeping fingers busy playing the joy sticks that control three bow thrusters. Two of these are located in the bows of the forward barges and the third is in the bow of the Century.

Capt. Jan Vlap pilots the Century out of the locks on the way to
Antwerp.

Powered by a 685 HP Cummins KTA19 G3, the bow thruster takes water from under the hull with a horizontally mounted propeller. The water is then directed out one of four channels to direct a powerful flow forward, to port or starboard or aft. With all three thrusters working the vessels can maintain a minimal forward motion if required or they can swing the bow against a strong cross wind. The thrusters can also be used to pump ballast water into the vessels’ cargo holds.

A particularly interesting feature of the Century are the bow rudders. Like the flanking rudders on Mississippi towboats, these are located ahead of the propellers. But in this case they are way ahead, right up in the bow. This pair of hefty rudders can be lowered from their hull slots to provide additional steerage power when traveling at a speed that would render the bow thruster ineffective. This can be of particular importance when searching out the most favourable water when moving the ship up against the strong currents of the Rhine or trying to line up the bow with a lock in a strong cross wind. Combined with the twin rudders mounted behind each of the Century’s 1.75-meter nozzled propellers.

In the main engine room the Cummins KTA50s turn into Reintjes WAF 663 gears with 5.57:1 reduction. Both the gearboxes have hydraulic pumps to give redundance to the hydraulic steering system. This is, in turn, further backed up by an electric-powered pump. The alternate captain, Robert Boere, also serves as engineer for the boat. He delights in the new engine room explaining that his last boat had two Cummins KTA38 main engines so this one is pretty much the same “except it the engines each have 16 rather than only 12 cylinders.”

Alternate captain, Robert Boere, also serves as engineer for the
boat and is shown here with the starboard Cummins KTA50.

On the front of the port engine a continuous load-sensing hydraulic power take off with variable pitch impeller powers a 65 kw generator to provide power when the ship is underway the main engine is turning anywhere from 600 to 1800 RPM. In addition two Cummins 4BT3.9 powered 64 Kw gensets are located one in the engine room and one in the forepeak.

Capt. Boere explains that they boat usually works with three deckhands and three skippers. The third captain is one of the two owners Capt. Rook Ruytenberg who, with his wife is taking some time off the vessel while it makes the short run down to Antwerp. As with most of the big new European inland waterway boats, the accommodations on the Century are luxurious. There are three separate cabins for as well as their own galley and sitting room for the crew forward. In the aft cabin, two cabins with a total of four staterooms and two bathrooms accommodate the three captains. The two cabins also each have their own galley with ceramic topped cook stove and a full array of appliances in addition to ample eating and sitting spaces. On top of the aft cabin parking space for two cars gives easy highway access to those onboard.

On this early November voyage the cargo was shipping containers, but the design of the vessel is equally well suited to transporting bulk cargos. On her earlier voyages up the Rhine from Rotterdam the boat and its three barges transported 10,000 tons of coal with a return cargo of a similar tonnage of gravel. Loaded the ship and her barges can make 15 kilometers per hour through the water or 22 kph empty at 1800 RPM. A more normal 1600 RPM cruising speed yields a steady 19 kph empty with ample reserve for bucking the Rhine currents as required.

For further information:

Sander Snoek Sales Representative
Cummins Holland B.V.
P.O. Box 520 3300 AM Dordrecht
Galvanistraat 35 3316 GH Dordrecht
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0) 78 6181 200
Fax +31 (0) 78 6176 579
Mobile: +31 (0) 6 5129 9353
E-mail: sander.snoek@cummins.com

Street address:
K. Damen Shipyard
Rivierdijk 436 3372 BW Hardinxveld-Giessendam
Holland

Postal address:
K. Damen Shipyard
P.O. Box 5013370 BA Hardinxveld-Giessendam
Holland
Phone: (31) (0) 184 612600
Fax (31) (0) 184 618436
E-mail: info@shipyardkdamen.com
URL: www.shipyardkdamen.com

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