Vessel designs for high-speed freight transport
Inland waterways serve as trans-national channels of transport. In this respect initiatives involved in freight transport need to be implemented on a broad scale particularly regarding operator requirements. The PACSCAT project is a prime example since its operations serve primarily the Rhine and the Danube which flow through many European countries. In light of this, a vessel which is suitable for deployment in the Rhine and Danube freight logistics market was needed. Therefore a detailed design and performance assessment was conducted for implementation by a trans-national consortium. This involved the designer of the vessel as well as the operator in cooperation with regulatory authorities. As a result of these efforts, the designs for two types of PACSCAT River Freighters (one for the Danube and one for the Rhine respectively) were prepared along with general arrangement drawings. The concept behind each design is to provide the environmental benefits of high efficiency and low wash while possibly doubling speed.
