Concordia Damen has landed a contract from Royal Van der Wees Group for the construction and delivery of an innovative RoRo pontoon, to be named Lastdrager 29. In addition, the Werkendam-based shipyard will build two coupling pontoons for Van der Wees.
The project marks another milestone in the long-standing collaboration between Concordia Damen and Van der Wees, following the delivery of the Pieter van der Wees five years ago. Construction is set to begin this month, with delivery expected by the end of 2025.
‘We are pleased and thankful to continue our collaboration with Koninklijke Van der Wees Transporten on this innovative project,’ says Chris Kornet, Managing Director at Concordia Damen. ‘The Lastdrager 29 reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality, specialized vessels that meet the evolving needs of inland waterway transport.’
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Lastdrager 29
The Lastdrager 29 is specifically developed to meet the unique transport challenges faced by Van der Wees, which has designed the RoRo pontoon together with Shipbuilding Solutions. Equipped with a (removable) drive-in function, the pontoon enables the seamless loading and unloading of high and heavy cargo, supporting a load capacity of up to 600 tonnes. Its optimised dimensions ensure efficient navigation through Europe’s inland waterways, even in challenging conditions.
Drawing on operational experience, this new pontoon incorporates several interesting features, including:
- Spud poles and mooring winches for enhanced positioning and stability.
- Ballast systems to ensure optimal trim and weight distribution.
- Wave protection and beach landing capabilities, allowing for operations in varying water levels and terrains.
- Two coupling pontoons (12.19 x 2.94 x 3.06 m), providing increased buoyancy for complex transport operations where complete roll-on and roll-off control is paramount.
Together with the “Nicolaas van der Wees”, Royal Van der Wees Group’s shallow draught (1 metre), 2x 500 hp Pusher Tug, the Lastdrager 29 will offer efficient solutions for transporting heavy cargo, even under challenging conditions, such as low water levels, narrow locks, low bridges, and tight river passages.
Picture by Concordia Damen.
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