Paraguayan owner and operator Girona SA – South River Transport and Logistics hired the shipyard Concordia Damen for the construction of a CDS4115 Shallow Draft 5,400 HP River Pusher tug to expand its fleet.
Concordia Damen analyzed the characteristics of the Paraguay River in relation to the vessel’s desired operational profile, resulting in a shallow draft tug design, several of which have already been built and delivered to Paraguayan customers in the past.
The CDS4115 type measures 41 x 15.5 meters. In push configuration with 12 barges, the combination measures 281 meters long x 48 meters wide. The three Yanmar 6EY22AW engines generate a power of 1,330 kW each.
Río Sur will use combinations primarily for transporting dry bulk cargo on the Paraguay and Paraná rivers. These rivers are known for their shallow draft during some months of the summer year. Thanks to the CDS4115 Shallow Draft’s shallow draft design, they can continue to operate year-round, even with drafts as shallow as 6.5 feet.
Bert Duijzer, technical director of Concordia Damen, indicated that “we are very satisfied with the trust placed in us by Girona – Rio Sur and the Dos Santos family. Our technology, technology reliability, short delivery times and service-oriented mentality are the keys to getting this contract.
“We have established a good relationship with the Dos Santos family and some of its subsidiaries for several years and we have always been transparent in providing all the information they ask for and what we consider they need. When negotiating and signing the contract, this mutual trust is demonstrated in the process,” added the executive.
