Barge
A Barge is a flat-bottomed vessel designed to carry cargo on inland waterways, coastal waters and within ports. Most barges are un-powered (dumb barges) and are towed or pushed by a tug; some are self-propelled. Their shallow draft and large flat deck or hold make them efficient carriers of heavy and bulky loads where a conventional ship cannot go.
Barges serve many roles: cargo and bulk barges move grain, coal, aggregates and containers on rivers and canals; bunker barges deliver fuel to ships at anchor; deck (flat-top) barges carry project cargo, equipment and construction materials; and hopper and split barges handle dredged material. In ports, barges are central to lighterage — transferring cargo between ship and shore when a vessel cannot berth. Operators manage barges as a fleet, tracking movements, jobs and maintenance much like any other harbour craft.
Barges move enormous volumes cheaply where ships can't reach — up rivers, into shallow berths, alongside anchored vessels. Bunker barges fuel the fleet, deck barges carry project cargo, and lighterage barges keep ports working when berths are full. For a harbour-craft operator, the barge fleet is the business, and managing its jobs, positioning and maintenance is a daily operational challenge.
Are barges self-propelled?
Most are not — dumb barges are towed or pushed by a tug; some barges are self-propelled.
What is a bunker barge?
A barge that delivers fuel (bunkers) to ships at anchor or berth, central to bunkering operations in ports like Singapore and Fujairah.