Rhenus and ENERCON have collaborated to develop an innovative push barge designed specifically for the sustainable transport of the newest generation of wind turbine rotor blades. The custom-built vessel, named Rhenus Berlin 1, represents a significant milestone in the logistics for the wind energy sector, facilitating a crucial shift of project cargo from road to waterway.
The push barge, expected to be completed this year, consists of a push boat and a barge built from three separate parts. The external drive unit provides the necessary flexibility to navigate through restrictive lock chambers, such as the Scharnebeck lock, a major logistical hurdle that this design is intended to overcome. The barge itself has a loading length of 92 meters, making it capable of transporting up to two of ENERCON’s newest rotor blades, which measure up to 86 meters in length.
This innovative vessel will primarily operate on North German canals, initially transporting rotor blades for ENERCON’s new E-175 EP5 turbine type. With a rotor diameter of 175 meters, the E-175 EP5 is one of the largest onshore wind turbines in Europe.
Optimal Use of Inland Waterways
David Schuetz, Senior Project Manager at Deutsche Binnenreederei, a Rhenus Group company, emphasized the importance of creative solutions for large components. “Especially faced with the high capacity utilization of the roads and motorways, creative technical concepts are needed in order to use inland navigation as a reliable transport alternative,” he said. “With Rhenus Berlin 1, we have developed a solution that is equally technically ambitious and future-oriented and contributes actively towards the CO₂ reduction of project logistics.”
The project was engineered to meet the specific challenges of inland waterway infrastructure. The Scharnebeck lock, with its 100-meter chamber, was a primary consideration, and the vessel’s design was tailored to navigate it successfully.
A Focus on Sustainable Supply Chains
ENERCON is systematically preparing for increased delivery volumes for its new turbine models. According to Hendrik Peterburs, Vice President of ENERCON Global Logistics, having alternative transport methods is critical to ensuring on-time delivery. “If the roads become congested or routes are closed, we want to have alternative means of transport available so that we can ensure that our components are delivered to our customers’ projects on time at all times,” Peterburs stated.
ENERCON is also pursuing ambitious sustainability goals across its entire supply chain. “To us, the inland waterway is a central part of a green logistics strategy,” Peterburs explained. “Together with Rhenus, we are developing the fitting solution to a challenging pre-carriage transport for our wind energy components. With the new push barge, we can not only guarantee greater reliability thanks to less congestion-prone routes, but also reduce CO₂ emissions compared to road transport.”
Paving the Way for the Energy Transition
The Rhenus Berlin 1 is currently being reconfigured at a shipyard in Szczecin, where the barge is being built from three individual segments. Once complete, it will be a crucial asset for the energy transition in Germany and Europe, particularly for the wind energy sector.
Michael de Reese, Head of the Rhenus Port Logistics Division, noted that shifting transport to waterways is a strategic key to securing the energy transition logistically. “With our decades of experience in heavy lift logistics and connections to central port locations such as Cuxhaven, we are working with partners such as ENERCON to build an efficient and future-oriented transport infrastructure for the wind power industry,” he said.
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