barge carrier

A barge carrier, also known as a lighter aboard ship (LASH), is a specialized vessel designed to transport barges. These barges are essentially shallow-draft boats, often flat-bottomed, used for loading and unloading cargo from larger ships, especially in ports lacking deep-water facilities.1

Barge carriers offer a unique shipping solution by allowing the barges themselves to be loaded onto the ship. This can be done by lifting the barges aboard via a gantry crane or by partially submerging the ship to float the barges on. This system enables through transport, moving cargo via barge from inland ports across oceans to foreign inland destinations, similar to how railway piggybacking works for truckloads. This method can reduce handling time and expense compared to traditional cargo transfer methods.231