Rhenus christens innovative barge “Rhenus Berlin I” at Bulk Cargo Terminal in Szczecin – Milestone for ENERCON’s multimodal wind energy logistics

• The 100-metre vessel, built April-September 2025, features specialised cargo hold for large rotor blades and uses a resource-saving drive concept with HVO100 biofuel option.
• ”Rhenus Berlin I” enables efficient, low-emission transport of wind turbine blades, supporting the energy transition in Europe.  
• Rhenus relies on renowned Szczecin shipyard and christens the ship at the Bulk Cargo – Port Szczecin terminal, one of the newest Rhenus family members, to showcase joined commitment for sustainable logistics.

On 30 September, Rhenus and ENERCON celebrated the christening of the new push barge “Rhenus Berlin I” at the Bulk Cargo Terminal in the Port of Szczecin. The custom-built inland vessel, designed specifically for transporting the latest generation of ENERCON onshore rotor blades, stands for multimodal, sustainable logistics solutions and the shift of project transports to the waterway.

Technical innovation and sustainable solutions

The “Rhenus Berlin I” was constructed from two existing barge parts at the Szczecin shipyard between April and September 2025. The vessel measures 100 metres in length, 9.46 metres in width and has a draught of 1.65 metres. The cargo hold measures 91.5 by 7.65 metres, which is ideal for transporting up to two rotor blades measuring up to 86 metres each, while the cargo hold is big enough to also fit future rotor blade generations with lengths of up to 88 metres. For maneuverability, a bow thruster is used, powered by an engine retained from the predecessor vessel BUG 1. No new main propulsion was installed, deliberately conserving resources. To further decrease the CO₂ footprint, the vessel is operated with the synthetic fuel HVO100. Rhenus is already planning to build further push barges in a similar design.

Christening ceremony at the Bulk Cargo – Port Szczecin Terminal

The christening took place at the Katowickie Wharf, on the terminal premises of Bulk Cargo – Port Szczecin, which joined the Rhenus family in January 2025 and is the largest terminal operator in the Port of Szczecin.

“The christening of ‘Rhenus Berlin I’ at the Bulk Cargo Terminal is not just a symbol of the innovation and sustainability with which inland navigation is driving forward the future of the logistics industry,” explained Martin Panasewicz, Managing Director of Deutsche Binnenreederei, which operates the vessel. “It is also a symbol of the long-standing and fruitful cooperation between inland navigation entities in Germany and Poland. We value the expertise, quality and long tradition of the Szczecin shipyard, which is why we chose to build our new barge right here.”

Launch of services for ENERCON

Within the coming weeks, the “Rhenus Berlin I” will start its operation exclusively for ENERCON in order to conduct and safeguard the construction site logistics for the wind energy technology innovator. The designated operation area will be the North German canal region, connecting the seaports with project regions in Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein.

“To ensure the timely delivery of our customers’ wind farm construction sites, we develop tailor-made transport concepts,” says Hendrik Peterburs, Vice President of ENERCON Global Logistics. “We rely on state-of-the-art transport equipment and proven service partners – and, when necessary, organize the transport chains for ENERCON wind turbine components using multimodal solutions involving ships, trucks, inland vessels, and other specialized equipment. The push barge Rhenus Berlin I – customized for E-175 EP5 rotor blades – is a prime example of this solution expertise.”