US Inland Waterways: Looking for Rainmakers
As 2022 moves into its final months, low water levels and drought form the basis of the news impacting inland waterways operators and barge companies. In the first week of October, numerous barges were reported grounded in the Mississippi River, particularly south of Baton Rouge. This has consequences: barge rates jumped 218% in St. Louis, compared to 2021.Low water was so severe that on October 7 Ingram Barge CEO John Roberts issued a force majeure notice (force majeure - unforeseeable…
DOT's Foxx Names Two Marine Highways
Secretary Foxx Designates Two New Marine Highways. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has designated two new Marine Highways. The Occoquan, Potomac, and Anacostia Rivers make up the “M-495 Marine Highway Crossing,” and is sponsored by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and This marine highway connects ports in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Maryland for passenger services. The upper Missouri River is designated as the “M-29 Marine Highway Connector,” and is sponsored by the Port Authority of Kansas City, Missouri.
Movement of $7 Billion in Commodities in Jeopardy
The American Waterways Operators and Waterways Council, Inc. continue to warn Congress and the Administration of the economic effects that the nation’s midsection would face in the wake of further navigation restrictions or possible Mississippi River closure to barge traffic in mid-December. States along the river would see an immediate impact on jobs and wages, and the potential toll would be harshest in Louisiana, Illinois and Missouri, with thousands of impacted jobs and tens…
AWO, WCI Address Mississippi River Conditions
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, Barge Industry and Shipping Industry Representatives Hold Press Conference to Address Ongoing Mississippi River Navigation Concerns Due to Continued Drought and Low Water Conditions. Representatives of the barge and shipping industries, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Coast Guard, held a press conference on the Mississippi River near St. Louis to address navigation and shipping concerns, as well as government-industry cooperation in managing the Mississippi River during continued drought and low water conditions.
Low Mississippi Water Levels Threaten US Economy
The American Waterways Operators (AWO) & Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) warn barge transportation could stop in December. AWO and WCI call upon Congress and the Administration to address a developing situation on the Mississippi River which could effectively bring commerce on the Mighty Mississippi to a halt in early December. Water releases from dams on the upper Missouri River are planned to be significantly scaled back later this month and these reductions are expected to negatively impact the Mississippi River water level between St. Louis and Cairo, IL beginning December 1. Of particular concern are hazardous rock formations near Thebes and Grand Tower, IL, which threaten navigation when water levels drop to anticipated, near historic lows.
