Page 26: of Marine News Magazine (April 2014)

Engineering EfÞ ciency on the Paran? Engineering EfÞ ciency on the Paran? A North American design tailored for South American operation: the new ß eet of diesel-electric push boats engineered by Robert Allan Ltd. (RA) brings an improved level of performance to the Paraná River. By Eric HaunINLAND DESIGNSThe Paraná River  ows some 3,000 miles through Bra- zil, Paraguay and Argentina, meeting the Paraguay River and then farther downstream the Uruguay River before eventually emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Buenos Aires. Second only to the Amazon for longest river in South America, the Paraná provides a vital means for South American transporters to carry bulk petroleum, agricultural and manufactured goods. The river?s geographic properties pose a number of challenges for operators that have not been addressed by naval architects ? until recently. A major problem on the Paraná is that most pushboats currently navigating the waterway ? some upwards of 40 years old ? are inef cient and were mostly purchased sec- ondhand from North American operators. Above all, none were designed speci cally to meet the demands of the Paraná. But as efforts to ramp up production and ef cien-cies escalate in South America, a new generation of vessels will enter operation.RApide 4500 to the RescueEnter Robert Allan?s new custom-designed push boats, RApide 4500, which according to the designer, are the  rst engineered for the Paraná River, present a number of unique elements to improve operational capabilities and overall ef ciency. The newbuild  eet will enter long-term barge transportation contracts to move iron ore some 2,500 kilometers from Vale S.A.?s Corumba mine in southwest Brazil to tidewater near Buenos Aires. Vale intends to move roughly 10 million tons of iron ore per year from Corumba via the Paraná by awarding three contracts to push boat operators for 3.3 million tons each, the  rst of which was won by Robert Allan?s client Hidrovias do Brazil. The Hidrovias do Brazil contract calls for the construc- tion and operation of eight RApide 4500 shallow-draft river push boats (46.5 x 16.5 x 4 meters) and 144 Missis- sippi-style hopper barges (61 x 15 x 4.27 meters) con g-ured especially for the project to operate 24 hours a day, 11 April 201426 MNMN April14 Layout 18-31.indd 26MN April14 Layout 18-31.indd 263/20/2014 11:50:02 AM3/20/2014 11:50:02 AM