Delft University of Technology
Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering Transport Technology / Logistic Engineering
R.C. Govers en M.E.M. Clercks Logistieke haalbaarheid snelle binnenvaart ro-ro schepen. Een studie naar de logistieke haalbaarheid van snelle low-wash catamarans in de ro-ro binnenvaart.
Literature survey, Report 97.3.LT.4993, Transport Technology, Logistic Engineering.
Research has been done on the logistical possibilities of high speed inland-shipping roro vessels.
The high speed inland-shipping ro-ro vessel is based on a low-wash catamaran principal which has been designed by Thijssen for high-speed inlandshipping container vessels [H.J.J. Thijssen Snelle binnenvaart containerschepen, Masters thesis, Delft University of Technology, Faculty Mechanical Engineering and Marine technology, Shipping Management (1997, April)]. The vessel has a length of 120 metres and has a beam of 22,8 metres. The speed of the vessel will be 35 kilometres per hour (19 knots).
The vessel is designed to transport new import-cars from the Benelux-seaports by the Rhine to South-Germany and transport new export-cars on the way back. Every trip between the Benelux-seaports and South-Germany can be made three or more times a week. Therefore a sailing frequency of three times a week is reasonably fair.
The biggest chance to set up a logistical system is by transporting cars. This because cars are having a relatively low weight and a high value compared to other cargoes.
New car transporters, car manufacturers and inland-shipping shipowners have no confidence in the positive exploitation of a high speed inland-shipping ro-ro vessel. The car transporters, who can make their choice out of the different transportation modalities, prefer road or rail transportation. Inland-shipping is only chosen for transportation over the weekend and to solve the capacity problems that sometimes occur. The conventional inland-Inland-shipping ro-ro vessels have a low occupation, often less than 50 percent, and it is not to be expected that a high-speed inland-shipping vessel would generate a higher occupation. However, to create any profit with the high speed ro-ro vessel, a minimum occupation of 75 percent is required.
The occupation level of the conventional ro-ro vessels is much higher on the route from the Benelux-seaports to South-Germany than on the way back. For that reason a study has taken place on the possibilities to generate a higher occupation level on the route from South-Germany to the Benelux-seaports. For BMW or Mercedes, who have fabrication plants in South-Germany and therefore are able to choose between the different modalities, a study has taken place to transport their new cars for export overseas via Rotterdam instead of Bremen or Hamburg. It appears that the high speed ro-ro vessel will not create any cost reduction on the present transportation costs for BMW or Mercedes. For that reason it will not be possible to generate more car-flow from South-Germany to Rotterdam.
The overall conclusion is that it is not possible to create a high speed irdand-shipping ro-ro service between one of the Benelux-seaports and South-Germany.
Reports on Logistic Engineering (in Dutch)
