Lighter Aboard Ships (LASH), Super Heavylift Ships and Barges
Lighters are small boats that can be stowed on board ocean vessels. Lighters are useful at ports where the draft is too shallow for ocean vessels to berth alongside. Cargo are firstly loaded onto the lighters which are then towed to the ship's side.
The lighthers are then lifted onboard the ship using the ship's crane. At the discharge port, the lighters are lifted overboard using the ship's crane. The lighters are then towed to alongside the port.
The super heavylift ships are conventional vessel fitted with derricks that are capable of lifting heavy cargo such as machineries, equipments, electrical installations, tractors, etc.
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Barges are small boats that can navigate up rivers. They are usually utilised for the following:
- Ferrying cargo to and from ships that cannot berth alongside port due to shallow draft.
- Transporting cargo to and from inland areas lying near the rivers.
- Transporting food and supplies to offshore installations such as oil drills.