Anyone on here have any idea about how much it costs annually for ABS to survey a fairly basic barge? Also, to reclass after class cert has been cancelled? Size of barge to be 328’ X 100’ X 18’
Red flag, derrick/construction, hotel or other?
This is a barge that will be towed a long distance (so needed all required certs and etc) to become a dock. Working on best way to go about either maintaining the class or just letting it go until it needs to go in the shipyard (but wondering if just getting another barge wouldn’t be a better idea)
Why not seek a Permit to proceed from the USCG without class?
If it’s just being moved from one location without freight to another to be taken out of navigation to be a dock.
Why do you need class to do a long distance tow? If has a load line you can keep that and drop class. You can also get a one trip loading from USCG.
For pricing I’d just contact your local ABS office.
I did not get the thing classed, but it’s classed - maybe because of the length of the voyage and that it’s carrying stuff that will be unloaded when it gets to where it is going - but the deed is already done and the thing is classed.
Well, it is carrying freight, and it’s a long voyage - so it’s already classed?
Would this be the barge “NSF DIscovery Pier” recently delivered to NSF McMurdo Station in Antarctica?
Ding ding ding ding! Yup. I wasn’t involved in the planning of this whole thing - just looking at options for down the road - and getting asked questions after the fact. Since I don’t know a whole lot about barges and classing them (and neither do they) I thought I would ask you guys/gals what to do about this thing once it needs to be hauled to the ship yard in 10 years. Got asked how much to keep it classed (which would be silly) and how much to reclass it when it needs to be hauled to a ship yard (and then back again) - because they will use anything that can carry/willing to carry frieght to McMurdo.
I do not recall the rates. But I have worked with owners who were trying to get their barges re-classed. They required my owner to get a dry docking, Ultra sound and line drawing before they would even attend the vessel during the dry docking plus what ever they found at the time of this inspection that requires repairs in “their” view. so, for barge of this dimension we would expect a 200K in expenses. Plus their engineering review & their fees would be in the 75K to 100K range
As such my owner went to Bureau Veritas, who are a lot easier to work withand were willing to work with us
Thank you very much for this. Just wanted an idea of what we were looking at. Really appreciate it.
The only think that makes sense for a dock barge in Antarctica is to forget about keeping it classed and forget about five year dry dockings. Inspect and maintain on site to the extent possible, replace it when it starts getting thin. It must be very heavily built, and it should last for decades.
But being as this is the US government with unlimited taxpayer dollars to waste, they will probably tow it back to Portland every five years for dry docking.
Well, that’s what I think (for what it’s worth) and in some places they need some shore erosion mitigation near that station - so on down the line they don’t have to tow it anywhere other than up or down the coast where they need a little protection. Maybe. I fully intend on being retired by then tho but in the mean time - I’m all for not making any plans to get it anywhere else or doing anything else regulatory wise.
If that was the case NSF would own a heavy icebreaker by now or still have their former icebreakers on charter? NSF goes with the lowest bidder for a general contractor then that general contractor company goes for a lowest bidder for subcontractors. I read on a financial forum there’s a company called V2X that will win the new general contractors contract for USAP next year which should cause that company to have a 25%-50% sp increase if anyone is interested in that type of thing. But agree with you about going rouge on the barges documents.
I remember when i worked for ABS a person called who wanted to get a loadline for a vintage 1942 barge. Well, it turned out ABS had the drawings on file. So yes, a drydock and some examinations were needed and it could be done in theory. The guy told me,“No. I don’t need any of that. I only want the loadline.“
Okay…..
He got a loadline from Belize (their motto at the time was, „The Friendly Flag…“) and the tank barge promptly left with a deck cargo.
The tug sank.
One can’t make this stuff up…..