by Under_Pressure » April 4, 2022, 9:28 am
Undoubtedly, if you know 100% that a vessel is going to be dedicated to bulk cargo that is reasonably flowable for its entire career, then a hopper type cargo hold is going to be more efficient, and probably worth whatever additional costs are involved. The only reasons to use a system requiring front end loaders or a reclaimer on a dedicated bulk carrier are to maximize cubic capacity or reduce cost in building/converting the vessel. However, it is clear that with the Barker, Interlake's vision is flexibility beyond the traditional great lakes bulk cargo. They want to be able to carry anything they can fit through the hatches, and thus need the versatility of a flat bottomed hold. To achieve that flexibility, a price has to be paid when it comes to efficiency in handling bulk cargo vs. a vessel that is designed for that and only that.
Undoubtedly, if you know 100% that a vessel is going to be dedicated to bulk cargo that is reasonably flowable for its entire career, then a hopper type cargo hold is going to be more efficient, and probably worth whatever additional costs are involved. The only reasons to use a system requiring front end loaders or a reclaimer on a dedicated bulk carrier are to maximize cubic capacity or reduce cost in building/converting the vessel. However, it is clear that with the Barker, Interlake's vision is flexibility beyond the traditional great lakes bulk cargo. They want to be able to carry anything they can fit through the hatches, and thus need the versatility of a flat bottomed hold. To achieve that flexibility, a price has to be paid when it comes to efficiency in handling bulk cargo vs. a vessel that is designed for that and only that.