American Commercial Barge Line Company (ACBL) and MBLX, Inc. announce the formation of BargeLink, a joint venture company providing river barge logistics, barge brokering, electronic rate requests and tracking services for full barge load cargoes. Based in the New Orleans offices of MBLX, BargeLink supplies a broad range of barge-related services, including ocean transportation, customs clearance, discharge of vessels, unloading of barges, warehousing, distribution, and truck/rail deliveries.
The joint venture offers domestic and international shippers the combination of MBLX’s logistics expertise and advanced web-based tracking systems with the unmatched coverage offered by ACBL’s extensive inventory of boats, barges and fleeting services. With these combined strengths, BargeLink can design and implement the best conventional or customized transportation packages to maximize a customer’s shipping opportunities.
“BargeLink is designed to meet our customers’ demand for innovative logistics services supported by enhanced information capabilities,” David Schulingkamp, president of MBLX said. “Customers have told us the game has changed. They want information to move with the product. BargeLink provides operational intelligence at every step in the supply chains. This sophistication tells us that any quality third-party provider had better be as adept at distributing information as it is at distributing products.”
MBLX will continue to offer its less-than-barge load consolidation and logistical services and ACBL will continue to provide full barge load transportation services for the inland river system.