Accommodation barges are specialized vessels that offer living spaces for personnel in marine environments. These vessels mainly serve the offshore oil and gas industry and marine construction sector. The U.S. Navy also uses accommodation barges or floatels to house crews when ships are in port for maintenance and repairs, according to Marine Insight.
About Accommodation Barges
Accommodation barges usually have shallow drafts and are moored next to offshore platforms or construction sites to provide additional accommodation in case a rig or offshore structure cannot accommodate all personnel. They are connected to the platform through a gangway for the safe transfer of workers.
An accommodation barge can also serve as an office or control center at sea, store offshore spare parts, machinery, and equipment, and have a workshop for conducting different kinds of repairs.
They also include recreational spaces like bars, cinemas, gyms, conference rooms, medical facilities, a lobby for meetings, and even a helideck and swimming pool.
History of Accommodation Barges
This concept came up in the early 20th century when the offshore marine sector began to expand. In the beginning, the earliest barges had only the basic amenities but over time, advancements in marine engineering and technology have changed them into sophisticated units which can support large numbers of crew members.
Types of Accommodation Barges
- Floating Accommodation Units
Also called FAUs, they provide comfortable living facilities for those working in the offshore oil and gas industry and are employed in projects that need extended periods of offshore stay.
- Accommodation Support Vessels
ASVs offer accommodation plus logistical support and are designed to help with operational tasks like emergency response and cargo handling. They are usually used with other offshore structures and equipment.
- Accommodation and Work Barges
These multifunctional vessels combine living quarters with workspaces and meet both residential and operational requirements. They are employed in marine construction and maintenance operations.
- Modular Accommodation Units
They can be assembled to form a customized accommodation module. They allow for flexibility in design and come in handy to meet the specific needs of the client chartering the vessel. They are often used for temporary or short-term marine construction projects and can even be used in emergency response situations.
Use of Accommodation Barges
They are used for marine construction projects involving building bridges, ports, and offshore structures like wind farms to house the workers. They can also be used for emergency relief and disaster response scenarios to offer temporary housing and support services.
They can also house researchers and explorers on missions to harsh marine environments, enabling them to conduct their operations smoothly.
The IMO has set guidelines for its design, construction, and operations so they meet the standard safety, environmental, and operational requirements.
Also, classification societies like Lloyd’s Register and DNV GL offer certification and inspection services for accommodation barges.
Other Types of Barges
Apart from accommodation barges, there are also other types of barges used around the world. Barges do not have a motor or engine and need the help of a tugboat or towboat to move. Most have a flat bottom and are used on lakes, rivers, canals, and inland waterways. The biggest of them measures 200 ft lengthwise and can carry about 3000 tonnes of cargo.
Inland Barges
As the name suggests, they ply on inland waterways and are designed for operating in smaller water bodies for carrying large volumes of cargo that cannot be taken via roadways or railways.
Crane Barges
They are also known as spud barges and have a boxed stern to keep them floating with the weight of cranes. They also have support in the deck frame and bulkhead and are used to lift items at the dock or during offshore construction.
Deck Barges
They carry cargo including rocks, stone, metal pipes, livestock, construction equipment, etc.
Hopper Barges
They usually carry sugar, coal, ores, steel, grains, and other commodities. They have a double hull and are open or covered to protect cargo from being exposed to natural elements.
Shale Barges
They are used in the oil and gas sector for transporting cargo from the drilling site. They are highly regulated as the cargo they carry has several environmental restrictions and must be disposed of properly.
Liquid Mud Barges
These barges have pumps and pipes to dispose of the liquid material at inland oil drilling sites and have cargo storage tanks at the deck level with 4 different compartments.
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Source: MarineInsight
