Paraguayan shipowner and operator Girona SA– Rio Sur Transporte y Logistica has taken delivery of their new fleet addition Veronica V, designed and built by Dutch inland navigation shipyard Concordia Damen, further strengthening inland waterway transport capabilities in South America.The CDS4115Shallow Draft River Pusher will serve Girona’s customers along the 2695 km Paraguay River.
With river levels dropping for months during the dry season, Concordia Damen’s engineers have meticulously analysed the Paraguay River system to create an efficient pusher vessel for these conditions.
Its shallow draft ensures year-round navigation and high cargo efficiency. The 5.400hp river pusher is a further development of the shipyard’s earlier pushers. The CDS4115 type measures 41m x 15.5m. In a push-barge configuration with 12-barges, the combination will measure 281m x 48m, enabling large-scale cargo transport with maximum operational efficiency.
Rio Sur will primarily deploy the combinations for transporting dry bulk cargo along the Paraguay-Paraná Rivers, where low water levels are a recurring challenge during the dry season. Thanks to the CDS4115 Shallow Draft design, they can maintain operations year-round, even when the draft drops to just 6ft, a significant advantage over many other push boats navigating these waterways.
