Osprey Group announces £3m investment in Barge Fleet

Posted on 17 April 2020

UK specialist logistics firm, Osprey Group, announces the signing of a £3m shipbuilding contract for two new offshore barges. Osprey Bouwer and Osprey Fabrique are being constructed with high deck strengths specifically suited to over-sized, heavy cargoes – adding welcome extra capacity to the UK’s largest, independently-owned barge fleet.

Osprey has a wide range of vessels in its fleet already, supporting specialist logistics for marine projects of all kinds. The fleet includes ocean-going barges for deep-sea programmes anywhere in the world, to ice-ships, and smaller vessels that can make innovative use of inland waterways and lock systems in the UK and Europe.

The addition of two new barges – Osprey Bouwer and Osprey Fabrique – represent a significant investment by the UK firm. The contract is valued at £3m, which is a huge commitment to supporting the industries that transport over-sized and superheavy equipment: the renewables sector and the nuclear construction industry in particular.

Brokered through Rotterdam-based TABmarine B.V, the two barges will both be 50 meters long, with a beam of 18.8 meter and a depth of 3 meters. The ABS ‘unrestricted sailing area’ classified barges will have a completely flush 20T/m2 strong deck, equipped with two 23-metre spud poles.

Osprey Bouwer and Osprey Fabrique will be delivered in Q1 2021 and deployed to support specialist logistics’ operations in France, Morocco and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Neil Schofield, Osprey’s Chief Operations Officer:“The addition of Osprey Bouwer and Osprey Fabrique to our fleet is very welcome. At a time when we’re all focusing on safety in the present, these additions represent £3m pounds of investment in the future – demonstrating our long-term commitment for supporting and being a trusted partner to our clients.”