Western River News

The United States Coast Guard has issued a number of river closures, restrictions and advisories in response to floods in the Midwest. To keep the public and professional mariners apprised of changes to river traffic, the 8th District will continue to issue press releases capturing all closures and restrictions throughout this period of high water and flooding. Upper Mississippi River closed between mile markers 184 and 179 near St. Louis, Missouri. Illinois River closed between mile markers 0 to 50 from Hardin, Illinois to Grafton, Illinois. For more details on the closures set in place by Sector Upper Mississippi River call the command center at 314-269-2610. Restrictions on Mississippi River from mile marker 110, near Chester Illinois, to mile marker 34, near Billings Landing, Missouri.

How updated electronic navigation practices improve safety and efficiency – and optimize cargo movement – on US inland waterways. It was a cold winter night. Heavy gusts and snow did not allow safe navigation and forced the ships on the upper Mississippi to secure alongside the few remaining jetties. Safety is the key issue for all river transport companies but at the same time efficiency and timely delivery of valuable goods is of utmost importance. It was 1999 and an American navigation pioneer – Greg Dunkle – had realized the potential of electronic chart systems.

The upgraded CEACT aims to improve operational efficiency and situational awareness for safer navigation. The new CEACT version 2.6.10, available now, includes several improvements. According to the manufacturer, the new CEACT 2.6.10 introduces a modernized user interface for enhanced readability in all ambient conditions, and more user friendliness in general. It helps the river pilot to safely navigate and focus on the most relevant data which helps preventing accidents. Advanced…

Maritime employers, thirsting for quality employees in numbers sufficient to run their far flung businesses, continue to struggle to recruit and retain talent despite lingering high unemployment across the other sectors of the economy. On the waterfront, there are many models for producing marine professionals; some quite new and others, time tested. Brad Lima is the Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. As a 1974 graduate (BS; marine engineering) of the nation’s oldest continuously operating academy…

ChartWorld and CEACT released the USACE IENC buoy overlays. The convenient download button within CEACT software allows for updating all river charts plus the new buoy overlay at a fingertip, most cost-efficiently while using the smallest data volume on the market. As the only official value added reseller of USACE and NOAA, ChartWorld is checking all data prior to its conversion into small size packages and automatic distribution. The highly compressed files have less than a quarter of their original size.

Genesis Energy, L.P. has completed the previously announced acquisition of the black oil barge transportation business of Florida Marine Transporters, Inc. and its affiliates (FMT). The purchase price was $141 million plus customary adjustments. The acquired business is comprised of 30 barges (seven of which are being sub-leased under similar terms of an existing FMT lease) and 14 push/tow boats which transport heavy refined petroleum products, primarily serving refineries and storage terminals along the Gulf Coast, Intracoastal Canal and western river systems of the United States, including the Red, Ouachita and Mississippi Rivers.

Since 9-11 all facets of the media have combined to focus national policy makers, in and out of government, along with the general public on the asymmetric terrorist threat facing the United States and its global trading partners. Lengthy newspaper articles or Op-ed pieces, documentaries on television such as The Learning Channel and the Discovery Channel, along with talk radio banter have spotlighted multiple areas of concern. These have included airplanes, tanker trucks, critical infrastructure and the country's bustling seaports such as New York and Los Angles. The maritime nexus in particular has received a lot of attention as over 90 percent of the nation's commerce travels by water.

Austal USA is set to deliver a new dinner cruise boat to Cloud Nine of New York. The company specializes in high end corporate and wedding dinner cruises in the New York harbor. Among special features on the 135-ft. (41.1-m) boat are a bridal suite, a fully equipped galley with dumb waiter and an overhead atrium on the upper deck. The aluminum vessel's beam is 30 ft. (9.15 m) with a molded depth of 11.4 ft. (3.5 m). It has tankage for 22,712 liters of fuel and 11,356 liters of water. Up to 149 passengers will be served by a nine-person dining crew with the support of a three-person marine crew. Two Cummins C-series powered 150 kW generators will provide for the boat's extensive electrical requirements.

Center (IRVMC) in St. certain barges along the river system 24-hours a day. presence and maritime. barges containing certain dangerous cargoes from the new operational center. Advisory System level and other factors. safety of strategic infrastructure.

Center (IRVMC) in St. certain barges along the river system 24-hours a day. presence and maritime awareness. cargoes. Security Advisory System level and other factors. river system and the safety of strategic infrastructure. The regulations were signed April 16.