Nautical Term: Barge
Definition of Barge
A barge is a large, robust watercraft that is specifically designed for the transportation of heavy cargo. Unlike other vessels, a barge does not have any machinery on board for self-propulsion. Instead, it relies on being towed by a tugboat or being mounted on a boatlift.
For example, in the port of Rotterdam, numerous barges are being loaded with granules of salt, which are then transported to various food industries across Europe. These barges, which can carry up to 3,000 metric tons of cargo, are towed by powerful tugboats to their designated loading and unloading areas in the port.
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