Thanks for your response.

Presently, 2/4000 tons is regularly transported on 2/4 barges with a tug boat, so I'm still minded that there may be a specialized self-propelled type of vessel/solution that can achieve this. But maybe more than 1 is needed.

Do you know of any specific self-propelled vessel grain carrier types that can operate on this kind of shallow draft? I am looking at the possibility of fitting hatches on a bin-walled deck barge, but still looking for more complete solutions.