Imperial 2/2001_englisch - Panopa

A reliable partner of the steel industry
Haniel push boats con
In action around the clock and 365 days a
year. Haniel push boats have been operating
on the Rhine for nearly four decades.
Primarily between the ports near Duisburg
and Europoort Rotterdam.
Schwelgern is one of two
main receiving ports
(the other is Walsum-
Süd) belonging to Thyssen
Krupp Stahl AG in Duisburg
on the Lower Rhine that is
called at by around 7,000
push barges and inland waterway
vessels every year.
While Walsum-Süd is
predominantly used for the
transshipment of finished
and semi-finished products,
bulk goods, such as iron ore,
coal, coke, slag and slag
sand, are handled in Schwelgern,
the larger of the two
ports. Three quarter of the
60,000 tonnes handled on
average every day are accounted
for by iron ore
alone.
The crews on the six
Haniel multiple barge convoys
perform a full-time job
in alternating six-hour shifts
for two weeks in turn. This
form of continuous working
hours with subsequent time
off in lieu is called a continue
system, explains Heinz
Schmitz, one of the captains
of „Franz Haniel 15“.
Change on the fly
This time the change of
crew takes place near the
small Dutch town of Rhoon,
only a few kilometres away
from Rotterdam Europoort.
The multiple barge convoy,
altogether 188 metres long
and thus an impressive
sight, maintains course, albeit
slowly, along the edge
of the river. In a dinghy the
first members of the old
crew are taken ashore and
14 � IMPERIAL NEWS
the new crew is brought on
board. On the fly Heinz
Schmitz takes over at the
helm in the wheelhouse and
resumes the voyage towards
Duisburg.
No stops
An observer on board becomes
aware of two things
at this moment: there are no
stops; and speed becomes a
matter of perspective. Upstream
the vessels require
double the time needed to
go downstream. Around 22
hours and about 240 kilometres
lie ahead of the crew before
they reach the port of
Schwelgern.
There are a total of eight
cabins on board, plus a guest
cabin and several wash
rooms. The mess is adjacent
to the spacious galley.
Everything is set up very
practically. One can see that
this is a working area. Cosiness
can only be found within
one’s own four walls. An
aquarium with ornamental
fish alone is enough to create
the impression of a private
sphere.
The crew members eat or
spend their free time in the
mess. A stereo system and a
television with video
recorder help to pass the
time. As a rule, however,
they try to sleep. But with a
six-hour rhythm this is possible
only to a limited extent.
Then there is the constant,
though damped, noise
level of the rumbling engines
in the engine room.
„The first day is always the
Haniel multiple barge convoys predominantly carry iron ore and imported c
worst.“ Everyone agrees
with that. After the twoweek
rest period the body
has to adapt to the new con-
ditions again. Three diesel
engines with a total 4,800
hp generate the power that
drives the steel colossus. Of