A barge being loaded into a Baco Liner ship in 1994
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Class overview | |
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Name | Baco-liner |
Builders | Nordseewerke |
Operators | Seerederei Bacoliner GmbH |
Planned | 3 |
Completed | 3 |
Retired | 3 |
General characteristics | |
Type | LASH ship |
Tonnage | 22345 tonnes |
Length | 205 m (673 ft) |
Beam | 28.5 m (94 ft) |
Draught | 6.65 m (21.8 ft) |
Ramps | 2 bow doors |
Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Capacity | 12 barges with 800 tonnes each |
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]