Inconsistent development of Germany’s barge fleet in 2014
4,573 vehicles on German barge register: tanker shipping is becoming younger – dry goods shipping declines – passenger shipping grows
As of 31 December 2014 Germany’s barge fleet – thus the entire fleet of cargo and passenger ships registered in the German barge register – was 4,573 vehicles. With 65 new units and 122 withdrawn units, this is 57 less than in the previous year. However, this is far from a consistent development, from the perspective of the Bundesverband der Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt e.V. (BDB, Federal Association of German Inland Water Transportation). The segments have developed quite differently.
In 2014 tanker shipping saw 14 units added (including six newbuildings) and 20 withdrawn units, in total 406 units (motor vessels, barges, pushed barges). Despite the decline by six units the statistics recorded a slight increase in the carrying capacity (727,693 t; in 2013: 725,049 t). The newbuildings added in recent years continuously reduced the age of the tanker fleet since 2007. As for tank motor boats (362 units) it was an average of 25.2 years. Since 2013 the German register contains more tankers with double-hull construction as such with single hull.
What was less pleasing, was the situation in dry cargo transport, with a decline in cargo vessels (motor vessels, barges, lighters) from 1,709 to 1,665 (44 units, including 13 added, 57 withdrawn). At the same time carrying capacity decreased by 48,603 tonnes (in 2014: 1.92 million tonnes). More than 40,000 tonnes of carrying capacity loss was attributable to motor cargo vessels, decreasing from 883 to 842 units in 2014.
The average age of the motor barges rose to 61.8 years last year. 10 years earlier the average age was 53.5 years. However, the construction year of a ship, which can be compared to a property regarding its value retention, is not an indicator of the state of its technology due to permanent investments, e.g. motor, drive and technical systems. Regrettably, these upgrades are not statistically recorded by the Generaldirektion Wasserstraßen und Schifffahrt (GDWS) – Zentrale Binnenschiffsbestandsdatei (Directorate General Waterways and Shipping – central barge inventory).
What has been positive again, was the development of passenger shipping: in 2014 the so-called White Fleet counted 1.508 units (passenger ships, barges, ferries), which means an increase of three units. In 2014 a total of 943 day trip boats were on their way on German waterways and lakes. The growth trend is thus continued for the fifth year in a row. Passenger cabin shipping remained as strong as in 2013, with 61 ships and 8,704 beds.
Note: The BDB has no own statistics. The figures are from the GDWS’ latest release “Changes in ship stocks of the German barge fleet in 2014″.
Quelle: oevz.com