Watertruck+ for small waterways
30 May 2017
Waterwegen en Zeekanaal and De Vlaamse Waterweg support the implementation of the Watertruck+ project.
In collaboration with private partners Watertruck+ will, with European support, market an innovative barge concept, a modular system of pushers and small push barges which can be used on several watercourses to also ship goods on small waterways.
Rising congestion makes smaller waterways attractive again for shippers in quest for more reliable deliveries, but small ships are leaving the market. Watertruck+ aims to reverse that trend with small and flexible barges that don’t require captains to live on board. The aim of the project is to use the new watertrucks on goods flows that are not transported by the existing fleet.
On larger waterways the push barges can sail in convoy with a pusher. The first units will be commissioned mid-2017.
