Barge services have evolved over hundreds of years, and these highly specialised vessels service many business needs. They might not be showy, but they are steeped in honourable history, with one of the earliest recorded barges showing up in Egypt around 2500 BC – the Khufu Ship, a burial ship for the King.

Later the Romans transported wine and olive oil cargo to the coast for ‘international’ distribution and gave us the word barge from the Latin word “barga” (small boat).

Barges are mostly similar in their overall look with English Humber barges or Thames barges  with broad beams, and Dutch Luxe Motor and Tjalk Klipper barges with a sweeping hull line and Belgian Péniche/Spitz with their characteristic flat decks.

Their commonality is the ability to operate in shallow waters carrying cargo, passengers, or fishermen in as little as 0.9m of water.

By the 1800s, the European network of canals linked to the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea! Today you can cruise from St. Petersburg, Russia to Lyon, France, through this canal network!

Historically barges were powered by sail or towed by horses, then steam engine towing arrived. Seagoing barges stayed with sail power until the 1900s, and wind, horses or manpower remained the most popular inland propulsion options until the 20th century.

Soon barges changed to auxiliary engines and some barges became, what was thought at the time, luxurious with an onboard kitchenette and toilet. The Spitz barges often came fitted with decommissioned tank engines after the 2nd world war.

By the earlier 20th century, barges’ hulls were made of steel and were 18 – 30 metres long, with even longer hulls appearing in the 1950s to compete against road cargo logistics.

Leading up to the 1950s, strong diesel engines were introduced, and barge demand peaked. Road and rail transport pressurised the cargo market share, and from the 1970s, a decline in demand started whilst interest in tourism barging developed and has kept growing. One of the oldest hotel barges, the L’Art de Vivre hotel barge, celebrated 100 years of service in 2017.

Service barges today carry low-value bulk items as barge transport is very cost-effective. It is also eco-friendly transportation as shallow draft transportation has, through research, has shown a nine-times better energy efficiency rate than trucks and a two-times better efficiency rate versus rail.

These amazing vessels are extensively used today for special purpose projects; for example; modular barges assist with the surveying and mapping, followed by the laying and burial of massive suboceanic fibre-optic cables around the world. They also facilitate bridge and other vital support infrastructure inspections.

These hardworking, versatile and specialised vessels have stood the test of time, and our strong, young fleet awaits your call for barge services. Cranes, water deliveries , marine salvage , inspections and more, we have your barge solution or emergency rescue are ready for your call.

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