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Barge Stowage Visualizer (Free Barge Deck Layout)

Drag up to 15 pieces on the deck plan of a 300 ft demo barge and see zone loads, centre of gravity, drafts, trim and heel straight from the stability engine.

Demo barge: DEMO BARGE NUSA 300

91.44 × 24.38 × 5.49 m · lightship 1,465 t · summer draft 4.2 m

Demo vessel with synthetic hydrostatic data — for trying out only.

Deck cargo (6/15)

Results update as you type.
Add cargo

Selected piece

m
m
m
t
m
m

Forward / aft draft

!

1.17 / 0.96 m

Mean 1.066 m · trim 0.21 m by the head

Heelupright
Corrected GM43.69 m
Displacement2,106 t
Total cargo641 t

Vessel data not yet validated — do not use for operational decisions.

For education/estimationShore-side planning & decision support. The class-approved onboard loading computer remains the official reference.

Deck plan (bow to the right, starboard at the bottom)

Click or drag pieces on the deck plan; arrow keys move 0.5 m (Shift: 0.1 m).
A · 6 t/m²MP · 8 t/m²M · 15 t/m²MS · 8 t/m²F · 6 t/m²0102030405060708090TransformerExcavatorExcavatorContainer 40Container 40Genset

Side view & waterline

Aft 0.96Fwd 1.17
Trim
0.21 m by the head
Heel
upright
Corrected GM
43.686 m
Max permitted draft
4.2 m
Centre of gravity (LCG / TCG / KG)
46.07 / 0 / 4.46 m
Cargo CoG (X / Y / Z)
47 / 0 / 7.36 m

Computed by the STOWAGE.ID stability engine v0.1.0 from the demo vessel hydrostatic tables.

Deck zone loads

A · Aft deck · total40 / 1,800 t
A · max footprint pressure0.75 / 6 t/m²
MP · Mid deck (port) · total0 / 1,500 t
M · Mid deck heavy-cargo area · total545 / 3,500 t
M · max footprint pressure15.63 / 15 t/m²
MS · Mid deck (starboard) · total0 / 1,500 t
F · Fore deck · total56 / 1,800 t
F · max footprint pressure0.94 / 6 t/m²

Checks

  • Transformer: pressure 15.63 t/m² exceeds zone M limit (15 t/m²) — use spreaders/dunnage or move to the heavy-cargo zone.

About this calculator

Laying out project cargo on a barge — excavators, transformers, modules, pipes, containers — usually starts with a sketch on paper and a recalculation every time one piece moves. The Barge Stowage Visualizer combines both: a barge deck plan you can fill and rearrange, with results updated on every move.

The free version uses one demo 300 ft flat-top barge (91.44 × 24.38 × 5.49 m) with five deck zones — aft, mid port, mid heavy-cargo area, mid starboard and forward — each with a t/m² limit and a total limit. Add up to 15 pieces from presets or your own sizes, drag them on the plan and see each piece's footprint pressure against its zone, the total per zone, pieces that overlap or overhang the deck, and the combined centre of gravity (LCG, TCG, KG).

Forward/aft drafts, trim, heel and GM are computed by the deterministic STOWAGE.ID stability engine — the same engine as the Vessel Planner — from the demo vessel's hydrostatic tables. The demo barge data are synthetic and not validated, so the results are for trying out and for education/estimation only, not for operational decisions. Layouts are not saved; use the result link to share. For your own barge with real hydrostatic data, GZ curve, longitudinal strength, lashing and PDF reports, use the Vessel Planner.

Worked example

One 500 t transformer, footprint 8 × 4 m, 4 m high, mid-deck (X 45.22 m from the stern, Y 0):

  • Footprint pressure 500 ÷ 32 m² = 15.6 t/m² > mid zone limit 15 t/m² → use spreaders or dunnage
  • Displacement 1,465 + 500 = 1,965 t; LCG (1,465 × 45.67 + 500 × 45.22) ÷ 1,965 = 45.56 m
  • KG (1,465 × 3.19 + 500 × (5.49 + 2.0)) ÷ 1,965 = 4.28 m
  • Engine on the demo barge: mean draft 0.99 m, forward 1.06 m, aft 0.93 m, trim 0.12 m by the head, GM 47.2 m

How to use it

  1. Add cargo

    Pick a preset (excavator, transformer, container, steel coil, pipes) or enter your own length, width, height and weight.

  2. Drag on the deck plan

    Drag pieces on the plan or enter X (from the stern) and Y (from the centreline, + starboard) for each piece.

  3. Check zones and CoG

    See zone colours, footprint pressures, totals per zone, overlaps and the combined centre of gravity.

  4. Read the condition

    Read forward/aft drafts, trim, heel and GM from the engine, then move pieces until trim and heel are close to zero.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the results for a real loading?
No. The demo barge uses synthetic hydrostatic data that no naval architect has validated. The results are for education and estimation. For operations use your validated barge data and an approved loading computer or calculation.
Why is footprint pressure compared per zone?
A barge deck is not equally strong everywhere. The middle area above the longitudinal bulkheads is usually strongest for heavy cargo, while the ends and sides are weaker. A piece counts in the zone where its centre lies.
How is the cargo centre of gravity taken?
The CoG is taken at the centre of the footprint and at half the cargo height above the deck. For pieces with an off-centre CoG (an excavator, for example), shift the position or use the combined centre of gravity calculator.
Why 15 pieces and no saving?
This is the free version for trying out. The Vessel Planner has no piece limit, saves voyages, calculates lashing and longitudinal strength and exports reports for the team and surveyors.

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