TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

LaHood Announces Recipients of $7M in Marine Highways Grants

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $7m is being awarded to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Virginia Port Authority and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority to support the transportation of marine cargo between U.S. ports. The announcement comes just five weeks after unveiling the America's Marine Highway program, a new initiative to move more cargo on U.S. waterways. The money will help expand an existing marine highway operation in the Gulf of Mexico between Texas and Florida and one on the East Coast between Richmond and Hampton Roads in Virginia. The money will also help start an entirely new all-water service on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway between Itawamba, Mississippi and the Port of Mobile, Alabama. "These projects demonstrate how water transportation can help solve some of our toughest transportation challenges," said Secretary LaHood. "Transporting goods by water will let us reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions." "This is a key opportunity to demonstrate the benefits and viability of moving freight on the water," said David T. Matsuda, Maritime Administrator. "These grants will help a long overlooked means of transporting goods finally grow." Projects receiving grant funding are:

Port of Memphis Exercises Security Plans

The Coast Guard, partnered with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as well as many of the key port players, exercised risk management strategies aimed at protecting the city and the Port of Memphis. The exercise was led by the DHS Protective Security Advisor for the Memphis District, Mr. Greg Innis. The exercise participants included representatives from Coast Guard, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Office of Homeland Security

Panama City Dredging Project Underway

The Port of Panama City and the U. S. Corps of Engineers have begun a joint dredging project to deepen Panama City’s entrance channel and turning basin from 32 ft. to 36 ft. Inland Dredging Company of Dyersburg, Tennessee will begin work in the channel in January. The Panama City Port Authority is in the process of bidding the dredging work in the berthing areas. The entire project will cost approximately $8.5 million dollars and be completed by the end of May, 2003

TrashCat Joins Passaic Valley Fleet of Skimmers

United Marine International (UMI), Division of Liquid Waste Technology, Inc., USA, has emerged as the world's leading producer of Marine Trash Skimmers. UMI designs and manufactures Water Management Boats to remove from waterways all types and sizes of floating debris, aquatic vegetation and related pollutants...anything and everything that "washes" out of watersheds after snow melts, "spring runoff" and rainstorms...natural debris, street litter, man-make "flotables", and garbage

Canada Clarke Expanes Freight Management Ops

Canada's Clarke Inc. doubled the size of its freight-management division with the purchase of four U.S.-based companies. Clarke, which has freight transportation and logistics services throughout North America, said it had bought Focus Carriers of Memphis, Tennessee; Kenley Trucking Inc of Atlanta, Georgia; and Creative Logistics of Ripon, California. Purchase prices were not disclosed. - (Reuters)

This Day in U.S. Coast Guard History – November 18

1953- Heavy rains in the Coquile, Coos, and Willamette River Valleys of western Oregon caused flooding of the lowland areas and isolation of some towns through the blocking of highways by slides and high water, necessitating the evacuation of families and livestock.   A Coast Guard relief detail of boats, men, and aircraft participated in relief assistance measures, cooperating with the Red Cross and civil authorities.

AAPA Seminar be Held in Memphis

The American Association of Port Authorities—the leading alliance of public ports in the Western Hemisphere—on Nov. 14-16, 2006, in downtown Memphis, will hold its second annual seminar focusing on ports in and along America’s inland and intracoastal waterways. The conference, titled “Growth Opportunities for General Cargo and Shallow Draft Ports,” will feature experts on subjects ranging from short sea shipping to adapting existing terminal facilities to handle new types of cargoes.

This Day in Naval History – Oct. 28

1864 - Steamer General Thomas and gunboat Stone River destroy Confederate batteries on Tennessee River near Decatur, Alabama. 1882 - Orders issued for first Naval Attache (LCDR French Chadwick sent to London, England). (Source: Naval News Service)

This Day in U.S. Naval History – October 28

1864 - Steamer General Thomas and gunboat Stone River destroy Confederate batteries on Tennessee River near Decatur, Alabama. 1882 - Orders issued for first Naval Attache (LCDR French Chadwick sent to London, England). (Source: Navy News Service)  

Tennessee River Partially Reopened After Allision

Coast Guard reopens portion of Tennessee River to commercial traffic after bridge collapse.   The Coast Guard has reopened a portion of the Tennessee River, Saturday, after a section of the Eggner Ferry Bridge collapsed following an allision with a vessel.The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has deemed the navigable channel safe for commercial transit after completing a channel survey Friday evening and finding no obstructions or debris