Environmental and Economic Impacts of an Articulated Barge Considering Crew Expertise and Operational Profile

Articulated Tug-Barge systems connect a tugboat and a barge via an articulated link, improving manoeuvrability and flow, and offering opportunities for greater efficiency. Due to their size, these systems are vital to waterborne cargo distribution, managing the transport of several types of oil, chemicals, and bulk goods, as well as container barges. The interest in these systems is driven by the rising demand for energy efficiency and environmentally friendly maritime transport. Analysing reliability, costs, environmental and operational conditions, and crew experience helps manage each design option more effectively. The dual-mode Articulated Tug-Barge (ATB) system can disconnect the tug from the barge when seaway loads reach design limits. Effective load management and real-time monitoring are essential in these situations. This research introduces a method for evaluating barge efficiency using a structural reliability index and associated costs, accounting for environmental conditions, operational scenarios, and crew experience. The reliability index assesses the barge’s hull integrity, accounting for environmental pollution from oil spills and air emissions from construction and operation, as well as crew proficiency. The chosen design, operational status, crew experience, hull failure progression, and their effects on structural integrity, along with impacts on the ship, cargo, and environment from construction, voyages, and cleaning, are all incorporated into the cost analysis. Mitigating risk measures focus on improving the crew experience, directly reducing costs and enhancing reliability without requiring additional structural materials to increase strength.