Veka Group delivered its first inland vessel to Paraguay in early July.
Veka Group has tried to get a foothold in South America for the past three years. The company has now found a local partner that will help secure the market. The partner, who is also the buyer of the first ship, has been active on the South American market for a long time and has a number of companies related to transport, transfer, import and export.
'Catwalk from Stem to Stern'
The new ship has been specifically prepared for operation under severe conditions. Joep Berghuis, director at the VEKA Group’s yard where the ship was built: ‘The Paraguay River has an estuary over 200 kilometres wide at Montevideo. That waterway is comparable to coastal waters. It is turbulent and the wave height can increase quickly. That is why the bulwarks were raised by 1.5 metres, which enabled us to create higher side decks and a greater cargo capacity. The midship section was reinforced to make the ship stiffer and stronger and less flexible in the length axis. A sea railing was installed on the stern and we placed a complete catwalk on the starboard side so that you can walk freely from stem to stern.’
Opportunities for Dutch Companies
In Paraguay, the majority of transport by water is provided by pushers and barges that transport containers and bulk goods. The Paraguay River is over 1900 kilometres long and the country’s entire navigation network is about 3100 kilometres in length. Research by the Dutch government has shown that a large part of the current South American fleet is obsolete.
Jan Versluis of Veka Group expects that more orders will follow after this first step. ‘It is not just Paraguay. Almost every country in South America will show economic growth. This is a part of the world where things are happening and much more can happen.’
Ship Specifications
- Length: 135.00 metres
- Beam: 17.50 metres
- Maximum draught: 3.70 metres
- Load capacity: 5200 tons
- Propulsion: 2 Caterpillar type 3512 engines
Picture: Ship builders put the finishing touches on the construction of the ship (by E.J. Bruinekool Fotografie & Tekst)
