BARGES FOR TOKELAU ALLENCO MARINE BUILDS BY STU CAWKER E
arlier this year, Allenco Marine of Matamata added a pair of larger 10.5 x 5m barges to their long list of successful commercial and recreational boats, bound for the Tokelau Islands as part of an ongoing aid project, with funding
coming via the Tokelau government from our own government's aid coffers.
I like this idea, that NZ foreign aid money should be spent here in NZ helping NZ businesses, while at the same time being a huge benefit to those we wish to assist.
The barges, made with 8mm bottom plate with 6mm sides, were built mainly for cargo and passengers, but as they will also have to take the very occasional vehicle, the 6mm treadplate deck is replaced with 10mm aluminium decking on the wheel strips, for a little extra oomph there. To unload the vehicles, the barge also has so separately mountable ramps to allow the vehicles to be driven off the barges once in the port. Below the deck, the hull has 75mm x 40mm rectangular girders and cross-frames, the whole being divided into eight watertight
32 Professional Skipper November/December 2012
VIP.S84
