Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company builds large-capacity SLG barge

MOSCOW. Feb 13 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company (UDP) has built the second large-capacity SLG barge, in the design of which elements of old lighter vessels (small 40-meter barges) are used, Ukrainian media reported, citing the Ministry of Reconstruction on Tuesday.

At the same time, it is noted that the upgraded SLG barge has a carrying capacity of 2,200 tonnes, is 76.5 meters long and has a draft of 3.1 meters. The first large-tonnage barge of the similar design was floated at the end of last year.

For building barges with a tonnage of 2,200 tonnes, 40-meter lighter barges are used, which were previously idle or used for other purposes due to economic unfeasibility. A full-fledged river-going SLG barge is built according to the principle of a constructor: two lighters are docked using an insert cut from a third vessel, the Ministry of Restoration said.

"In 2023, the UDP team started building a non-self-propelled fleet for the first time in a long time. Over 80 lighters remain on the balance sheet of the company, some of which are rented out as so-called spacers between the ships and the berth. But most of them are rotting away, siphoning off funds from the company for anchor fees, emergency repairs and the like," the statement quoted Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Restoration Alexander Kubrakov as saying.

The use of lighters as donors for building new SLG ships makes it possible to systematically renew the river fleet, he said. At the same time, the production cost of SLG barges is much lower than building a vessel from scratch.

The barges are built at the expense of UDP's own funds without drawing budget financing. All operations to build new barges are performed in Ukraine, the Ministry of Restoration said.