These narrow inland waterway vessels were built to the dimensions of the Brussels-Charleroi Canal. In many cases, they unloaded coal in the port of Antwerp, where they then loaded cargoes of grain destined for the south of the country. The Charleroi barges had a carrying capacity of just under 70 tons. 400 of these ships were built to the size of the canal locks in the Brussels-Charleroi Canal project. When sailing on Antwerp, the captains would hire a sailboat, side boards, an anchor and tender in Willebroek.
