This article in Marex may raise some questions and opinions: [image] Reconsidering an Innovative Integrated Tug-Barge Concept During the 1970s, the engineering department of Marine Industries Ltd of Canada developed an innovat...

It’s probably been well understood that ITBs offer mechanical and performance advantages over ATBs for decades. However, the USCG has ruled that rigidly connected ITBs are ships subject to ship regulations and manning levels. That being the case, there is no economic advantage to building an ITB, r…

I disagree with the point of ATBs being solely for reduced manning. They are the current pinnacle of tugs and barges in technology. No more worrying about having to tow or pick up in marginal conditions or all the fun that comes with conventional towing. There is definitely a benefit to crew size si…

I work on hawser tugs and have worked wire boats and ATB’s. If building new, I see no benefit of building an ATB other than crew size and reduced regulations.(and maybe build cost) Making an old tug into an ATB is a just good way to keep old equipment competitive, and nice for the operators.

ATBs were envisioned as rule beaters that could provide ship performance at tug and barge cost. The theory was also that ATBs would be like standardized and interchangeable tractor/trailers where ATB tugs would pick up and drop off different barges for loading/unloading/repair/layup/etc. Just as tr…

As a kid, I spent some time on an ITB that was developed as a transportation system with two tugs and five barges with extensive use of “drop and swap” (and later augmented by a third converted tug that eventually sank in a storm and took one barge with it). However, as a naval architect I have zero…

They tried a tug and a 10,000 tonne self discharging coal barge on the trans-Tasman run downunder. No one knew whether the voyage time was going to be one week or six and the crew stumbled off it looking like they had been on a roller coaster for the trip. There was some discussion about using an AT…

There are some ATBs (they call them “pusher tugs”) operating in BC. Seaspan has a couple small ATBs with flat deck barges hauling roro trailers that are essentially run like ferries between the Mainland and Vancouver Island. They do some pretty impressive truck driving turning the trailers around on…

You must know something operators and charterers don’t, because this is the opposite of reality. You are going to see fewer and fewer wire boats and more and more ATBs as time goes on. They are simply superior to wire boats in all but the most extreme conditions. The charterers prefer them over wire…

Oh, I’d certainly agree that the trend is toward ATBs replacing wire boats in the large oil barge trade. There seem to be a growing number of specialized small freight ATBs, but not enough to call it a trend. I’d also agree that the trend was for ATBs to replace tankers up until Crowley built the 7…

[image] saltyseamen: They are simply superior to wire boats in all but the most extreme conditions. The charterers prefer them over wire boats and the crews prefer them as well. They are faster, safer, and lack many of the challenges associated with wire boats Some of your statements are deba…

History and some new ideas about ATB

Engineering Naval Architecture

ombugge November 25, 2018, 11:05am 1

This article in Marex may raise some questions and opinions:

Topic		Replies	Views
Questions about ATBs from an industry outsider Professional Mariner Forum	25	4416	October 15, 2014
Large ATB's Vs. Product Tankers- comparissons and opinions Marine Engineering	55	13201	March 31, 2012
ATB’s Professional Mariner Forum	82	8482	March 5, 2020
The ATB - What Does The Future Hold? Professional Mariner Forum	14	4270	October 25, 2013
ATB Quandry? Or More justification for oversight and Government jobs? Press Releases	100	11443	May 16, 2013

History and some new ideas about ATB

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