What Are Accommodation Barges?

Accommodation Barges: Capacity, Amenities

Accommodation barges are specialised 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.

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 centre 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.

They can accommodate 100 to 500 people and their capacity can also be upgraded in some cases. Sometimes accommodation is fixed, else accommodation modules are used, which are usually 2-man, 4-man or 8-man cabins, per local regulations. Accommodation barges are cost-efficient and beneficial in remote marine environments.

They can also connect to shore-side power and freshwater supply. They can be towed to any location and operate anywhere, providing a safe and comfortable environment for the offshore workforce.

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

1. 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 which need extended periods of offshore stay.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Modular Accommodation Units

They can be assembled to form a customised 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.

Design and Construction of Accommodation Barges

Stability, buoyancy and distribution of load are three important factors to be considered when designing an accommodation barge since their structural integrity is critical to ensuring the safety of workers.

Sturdy materials like high-strength steel and aluminium alloys are used for their construction. They are also equipped with life-saving gear, a fire suppression system etc.

Bad weather or equipment failures can pose safety risks so accommodation barges must regularly have safety drills and be well-equipped with emergency response capacities.

Mooring and station-keeping are vital for maintaining the stability and position of these offshore support vessels. Mooring systems include anchors, mooring lines and dynamic positioning systems to ensure they remain in a fixed position. They also need a regular supply of water, fuel and other essential supplies.

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 their 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.

Ocean Barges

Ocean barges help transport cargo to ports in case ships loaded with cargo cannot enter the port due to their massive size or because of draft restrictions.

There are other barges too, such as barracks barges used as floating hotels for residential purposes and power barges which are like mobile power plants.

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About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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