Concordia Damen is proud to announce that it has been awarded a contract by ‘Koninklijke Van der Wees Transporten’ for the construction and delivery of an innovative RoRo pontoon, to be named Lastdrager 29. In addition, the Werkendam-based shipyard will build two coupling pontoons for Van der Wees. This project marks another milestone in the long-standing collaboration between Concordia Damen and Van der Wees, following the successful delivery of the Pieter van der Wees five years ago.

The Lastdrager 29 is specifically developed to meet the unique transport challenges faced by Van der Wees, which has designed the RoRo Pontoon together with Shipbuilding Solutions. Equipped with a (removable) drive-in function, the pontoon enables the seamless loading and unloading of high and heavy cargo, supporting a load capacity of up to 600 tons. Its optimized dimensions ensure efficient navigation through Europe’s inland waterways, even in challenging conditions.

Royal Van der Wees Group stated: “Concordia Damen Shipbuilding is a reliable partner with whom we have successfully collaborated before. Five years ago, Concordia Damen built the Pieter van der Wees for us, and we look forward to working together again.”

Characteristics

Drawing on years of operational experience, this new pontoon incorporates several interesting features, including:

• Spud poles and mooring winches for enhanced positioning and stability.
• Ballast systems to ensure optimal trim and weight distribution.
• Wave protection and beach landing capabilities, allowing for operations in varying water levels and terrains.
• Two coupling pontoons (12.19 x 2.94 x 3.06 m), providing increased buoyancy for complex transport operations where complete roll-on and roll-off control is paramount
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Together with the ‘Nicolaas van der Wees’, Royal Van der Wees Group’s shallow draft (1m), 2x 500 HP Pusher Tug, the Lastdrager 29 will offer efficient solutions for transporting heavy cargo, even under challenging conditions, such as low water levels, narrow locks, low bridges, and tight river passages.

“We are pleased and thankful to continue our collaboration with Koninklijke Van der Wees Transporten on this innovative project,” says Chris Kornet, Managing Director at Concordia Damen. “The Lastdrager 29 reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality, specialized vessels that meet the evolving needs of inland waterway transport.”

The project is set to begin this month, with delivery expected by the end of 2025.