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Aep River Operations News

14 May 2019

Interview: Mark Knoy, President and CEO, ACBL

Mark K. Knoy, president and CEO of American Commercial Barge Line

American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) named Mark K. Knoy as its president and chief executive officer in August 2011. Prior to joining ACBL, he was vice president of American Electric Power’s (AEP) Fuel, Emissions and Logistics Group and president of AEP River Operations, having joined AEP with its 2001 purchase of MEMCO Barge Line. From 1984 to 1994, he was owner/operator of The Mark Twain Towing Company and Delmar Marine, Inc., Pekin, Illinois. He began his career in 1973 working aboard towboats on the inland waterways as a deck hand and then as a captain.

12 Nov 2015

ACL Acquires AEP River Operations

Mark Knoy (Photo: American Commercial Lines)

Marine transportation service company American Commercial Lines (ACL) announced it has acquired commercial inland barge company AEP River Operations from American Electric Power (AEP). AEP River Operations is based in Chesterfield, Mo., with operations in Paducah, Ky.; and Convent, Algiers and Belle Chasse, La., and delivers approximately 45 million tons of products annually. Mark Knoy, president and CEO of Jeffersonville, Ind. based ACL, had previously run AEP River Operations for a decade before joining ACL in 2011.

01 Oct 2015

AEP to Sell AEP River Ops To ACL

American Electric Power (AEP) has signed an agreement to sell its commercial barge transportation subsidiary, AEP River Operations LLC, to American Commercial Lines (ACL), owned by Platinum Equity, for approximately $550 million. AEP River Operations is a commercial inland barge company delivering about 45 million tons of products annually, including 10 million tons of coal. AEP River Operations has 56 towboats, 2,301 barges and 1,090 employees. The company is headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri, with operations in Paducah, Kentucky, and Convent, Algiers and Belle Chasse, Louisiana. AEP announced in March that the company was exploring strategic alternatives for AEP River Operations, including a potential sale.

08 Sep 2015

Traffic Restrictions Lifted on Mississippi River

File photo: Thomas Rollins

The safety zone and traffic restrictions in place from markers 936 to 938 on the Mississippi River following a towboat collision and subsequent oil spill have been lifted, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. A section of the lower Mississippi River was closed to all traffic except response vessels last week after two towboats collided Wednesday at Mississippi River mile marker 937, rupturing the cargo tank of a barge carrying slurry oil which discharged approximately 150,000 gallons of oil into the river.

26 Aug 2015

MN 100: AEP River Operations

President: Keith Darling

AEP River Operations offers the largest covered hopper fleet of any carrier. Complementing its barge operations is a fleet of over 80 boats ranging in power from  1,550 to 11,000 hp. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, AEP River Operations is a barge company offering service in the transportation of dry bulk commodities – grain, project cargo, coal, steel, ores and other bulk products – throughout the inland river system. AEP River Operations offers the largest covered hopper fleet of any carrier.

13 Aug 2015

Big Response to WKCTC’s Open House

More than 100 city officials, educators, community members, and representatives from the river industry attended West Kentucky Community and Technical College’s open house and ribbon cutting for its Inland Logistics and Marine Institute (ILMI) August 10. Visitors toured the recently renovated 8,000 square-foot facility located at 631 Marine Way between local river businesses and Paducah's downtown. The building includes classrooms, a state-of-the-art radar lab, diesel lab, video lab and five offices. “WKCTC’s Inland Logistics and Marine Institute will allow students the opportunity to train using the latest technology as well as providing a training venue to serve the local maritime and transportation industry,” said Troy Courtney, WKCTC’s ILMI director.

23 Jun 2015

The ‘Greening’ of America’s Marine Highways

Ingram Barge Company sees two kinds of green in their newest venture on the inland rivers. In late March, the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority and Ingram Barge Company announced plans to assess the viability of Intermodal River Transportation, utilizing the largest flat-top crane in North America and Ingram’s towboats and barges. On March 27th, that plan came to life as the Paducah Riverport Authority’s 200-ton crane lifted 54 empty containers and stacked them neatly on an Ingram-owned barge. An Ingram towboat then transported the container laden barge to the port of St. Louis and then back to Paducah for unloading. The highly successful trial run tested the logistics of moving the intermodal containers via barge in the nation’s heartland.

09 Jan 2015

SCI’s New Chapter in Maritime Training

Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) launched an initiative on December 10, 2014 aiming to transform training for America’s inland mariners at its Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, KY. The day before its 15th Annual River Bell Awards ceremony, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) pushed the proverbial boat out on a new era of maritime education. In prior months, SCI had installed new simulators and renovated the hospitality areas at its Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, KY. The official dedication of the refurbished Center on December 10 revealed SCI’s blueprint for preparing a new generation of mariners for safe operations on American waterways.

09 Jan 2015

SCI’s New Chapter in Maritime Training

The Simulator at the Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, KY.

On December 10, 2014, SCI launched a major initiative to transform training for America’s inland mariners at its Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, KY. The day before its 15th Annual River Bell Awards ceremony, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) pushed the proverbial boat out on a new era of maritime education. In prior months, SCI had installed new simulators and renovated the hospitality areas at its Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, KY. The official dedication…

14 Nov 2014

MARAD Awards Grant for Green Tug Conversion

M/V Christopher M. Parsonage (Photo: Capt. Billy Smith)

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has granted $450,000 to AEP River Operations of St. Louis, Missouri, to modify the Motor Vessel (M/V) Christopher Parsonage into a fuel-efficient hybrid vessel that conserves fuel and reduces emissions. The modification will provide the 180-foot tug boat, which operates along the lower Mississippi River, with a hybrid generator set attached to the main engine that will provide auxiliary power, which would normally be produced from the diesel generator.

22 Aug 2014

MN 100: AEP River Operations

St. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, AEP River Operations is a barge company offering service in the transportation of dry bulk commodities – grain, project cargo, coal, steel, ores and other bulk products – throughout the inland river system. AEP River Operations offers the largest covered hopper fleet of any carrier. Complementing its barge operations is a fleet of over 80 boats ranging in horsepower from 1,550 hp fleet boats to lower river big tow 11,000 hp boats. In 2012, AEP moved over 73 million tons of cargo for its many customers.

10 Jul 2014

Winch Safety through Standardization

For decades, barge owners and operators had no reason to think twice about their rigging. There were only a few choices when it came to winches, and there were ratchets as well. Because of the simplicity of these machines, few people in the industry were compelled to think critically about how such a basic item might be improved. But winches and ratchets have their downsides: fouling and birdnesting can and do happen. Wire rope is heavy, and traditional rigging takes a lot of it. And old-fashioned winches require a good amount of time and effort to operate. But what else was there?

26 Jun 2014

USCG Presents William M. Benkert Awards

Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Vice Adm. Peter Neffenger presented the 2014 Rear Adm. William Benkert Awards at the American Petroleum Institute's (API) annual tanker conference Thursday. The award is given to support and recognize maritime industry efforts for their environmental protection programs. This biennial award was started in 1995 and honors industry leaders in the field of marine safety and environmental protection and provides an opportunity for the Coast Guard to recognize leadership, innovation and creativity found among those members of the maritime industry. It is the premier environmental protection award presented by the U.S.

08 Apr 2014

AEP Barges into the Liquid Transport Markets

Answering the needs of longstanding clients, bulk transport giant AEP dips its toes into the liquid transport arena. AEP River Operations needs no introduction for most MarineNews readers. One of the true river giants operating on America’s domestic inland waters today, AEP is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and is primarily known as a barge company that provides transportation of dry bulk commodities throughout the inland river system. AEP River Operations is owned by American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5.3 million customers in 11 states. The current AEP fleet includes more than 79 towboats ranging up to 11,000 horsepower and more than 2,900 hopper barges, moving more than 65 million tons annually.

08 Apr 2014

Editor's Note

Even if, as Marcon International’s Bob Beagle says, barges are the workhorses of the towing industry, then the pushboats that propel the 38,000 (documented and undocumented) deck, hopper, tank, crane and miscellaneous purpose barges to their destinations are the heart and soul of the most efficient – and greenest – means to move cargo known to man. This month, we take a close look at what’s developing for both types of hulls; in terms of design, markets, boatbuilding and everything else in between. There’s something happening on all fronts. The second quarter of 2014 finds North American shipyards and the service and manufacturing sectors that support them still roaring along. But, it’s not just production – it’s also about innovation.

31 Jan 2014

New Tank Barge Arrives & AEP Begins River Transport

Barges in the Gulf: Photo courtesy of AEP River Operations

AEP River Operations say they have began operations of its new Liquids Division today with receipt of the first of 20 tank barges. The addition of tank barges to the company's fleet will allow them to transport liquid commodities, including petrochemicals and agricultural chemicals. The company informs that its liquid barge fleet is being constructed by Jeffboat, based in Jeffersonville, Ind. Each barge will have a capacity of 11,000 barrels and measure 200 feet long and 35 feet wide, with external frames, 6-pound press tank tops, vapor recovery and Tier III John Deere engines.

10 Jun 2013

ACL Selected to Serve on the IWUB

Mark Knoy, ACL President and CEO (Photo: ACL)

American Commercial Lines (ACL) has been selected to serve as a representative on the Inland Waterways Users Board (IWUB), an advisory board established to monitor the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (Fund) and make recommendations to the Army Corps of Engineers and to Congress on investment priorities using resources from the Fund. Comprised of representatives of the barge transportation industry and the customers it serves, the IWUB provides input to help identify and prioritize investment in inland navigation infrastructure.

14 Feb 2013

Bulk Transport Leadership: Terence Gomez

Terence Gomez has been a Senior Manager at AEP River Operations in Missouri since 1986.

Drought and ensuing low river levels continue to affect the inland industry. Low water between St. Louis and Cairo, Illinois has threatened traffic on the Mississippi River since December. For months, dredging operations have slowed vessels at points along the river's course. Since December, a stretch at Thebes, Illinois, has been shut for much of each day as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removes rock pinnacles. A panel of five executives weighed in on a host of topics regarding inland transportation as part of a round table discussion published in the February print edition of Marine News.

23 May 2012

Coast Guard Recognizes Industry's Environmental Excellence

The U.S. Coast Guard announced the award recipients for the 2012 Biennial Rear Admiral William M. Benkert, Marine Environmental Protection Award for Excellence at the American Petroleum Institute Tanker Conference in Orlando, Fla. The winner of the Osprey award went to APL Co. Pte. Ltd. based out of Singapore in the large vessel category. The winners for the Gold award went to AEP River Operations based out of St. Louis and Holland America based out of Seattle in the foreign vessel category. Ingram Marine Group based out of Nashville, Tenn., Matson Navigation based out of Oakland, Calif., and Marathon Petroleum Co. based out of Tampa, Fla., were winners in the large vessel category. Winners for the Silver award in the large vessel category went to Maersk Line Ltd. based out of Baltimore.

07 Nov 2011

ACL Names SVP and COO

Paul A. Tobin, ACL Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

American Commercial Lines Inc. (ACL), one of the largest and most diversified inland marine transportation and service companies in the United States, announced today the appointment of Paul A. Tobin as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. An industry veteran, Mr. Tobin's most recent role was Senior Vice President Administration for AEP River Operations. He joined AEP in 2001 with the company's purchase of Memco Barge Line, where he served as Vice President Administration and Director Insurance during his four-year tenure.

31 Oct 2011

WCI Names New Officers and Directors

WCI Chairman Matt Woodruff (Director, Government Affairs, Kirby Corporation)

Waterways Council, Inc. At its Annual Meeting on October 19 in Pittsburgh, the Board of Directors of Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) elected the following new officers for 2011-2013: Chairman, Matt Woodruff, (Director, Government Affairs, Kirby Corporation); Vice Chairman, Steve Little, (President, Crounse Corporation); General Counsel, Dan Mecklenborg, (Senior Vice President, HR & Chief Legal Officer, Ingram Barge Company); Immediate Past Chairman, Rick Calhoun, (President, Cargo Carriers). All other officers were re-elected to their current positions.

26 Aug 2011

Darling Named President of AEP River Operations

American Electric Power has named Keith Darling president of AEP River Operations LLC. Darling, 60, will oversee all managerial and operating activities related to AEP River Operations, including sales, planning and budgeting, accounting, business development, logistics, operations and maintenance. He replaces Mark Knoy, who left the company. "Keith's river operations experience is both broad and deep, and he has a unique understanding of how our river operations fit with our broader corporate strategy," said Tim Light, senior vice president – Fuels, Emissions & Logistics. Darling has served as managing director of boat operations for AEP River Operations since 2002.

01 Aug 2011

American Commercial Lines Announces New Leadership

American Commercial Lines Inc. (ACL), one of the largest and most diversified inland marine transportation and service companies in the United States, announced today the appointments of Mark Knoy as President and Chief Executive Officer and David Huls as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Industry veteran Mark Knoy, 52, is joining ACL following a seventeen year career at AEP River Operations, LLC, a subsidiary of American Electric Power Co., Inc., where he spent the last ten years serving as President. Under Mr. Knoy's leadership AEP River Operations grew to become one of the nation's largest and most successful barge lines. "Mark brings to ACL many years of profitable growth on the inland waterways," said Bryan Kelln, President of Portfolio Operations at Platinum Equity.

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