Dettmer & DST develop new inland tanker

Tom Todd writes: The new type, conceived by Dettmer and the Development Centre for Ship Technology and Transport Systems (DST) in Duisburg, will replace older single-hulled inland tankers being phased out by 2018, according to the shipping company’s spokesman Heiner Dettmer.

Carrying the project name Dettmer Tank IXX, the ship is being built at the Hitzler Shipyard in Lauenburg for delivery in February next year. The newbuild will see service to and from the company’s oil and chemicals tank storage plant MUT on the Elbe in Magdeburg.

Mr Dettmer was quoted as saying: “The maximum canal water depth of 2.8m as well as the maximum permitted height of 5.25m for passing under inland waterway bridges made the development of a new type of ship necessary. Ship types already on the market did not meet these requirements”, he added.

The new Type C inland ship, for liquid chemical and similar product transport, will draw 2.8m and be of 4.9m maximum height (3.6m minimum). Carrying 2,325m³, the GL-classed tanker will be economical and versatile as well as safe, her owners said.

Dettmer spokeswoman Christel Wittrock told The Motorship the newbuild would be driven by two Type 8V 4000 M 53 R units from MTU, each of 745kW.

Dettmer Reederei said it operates a tanker fleet of around 25 single and double-hulled vessels specially built for the west European canal and waterway network. Last year the fleet moved 3.25million tons, the owner said. The ships are mainly engaged in the mineral oil transport sector but are also equipped for special chemical transport jobs.