With the construction of the push barge Rhenus Berlin 1, the Rhenus Group is setting an important milestone in sustainable logistics for the wind energy industry. The tailor-made barge will be constructed specifically to ENERCON’s requirements for the transport of the newest generation of rotor blades and will facilitate the future-oriented shift of project transports from the road onto the waterway. Cooperation partner ENERCON thus receives an effective alternative for the supply of its wind farm construction sites.
The completion of Rhenus Berlin 1 is expected within the year, the vessel consists of a push boat and a barge built from three separate parts. The drive unit is intentionally fitted externally: The coupled push boat provides the needed flexibility and enables the transport even through restrictive lock chambers.
In future, the first ship of this possible new series will operate especially within the North German canals – in the first instance, for the transport of project partner ENERCON’s rotor blades within the supply of wind farm projects featuring the new E-175 EP5 turbine type. With a loading length of 92 metres and an external length of 100 metres, the barge prototype can transport up to two rotor blades of the newest ENERCON generation with a blade length of up to 86 metres. (....)