River Industry Executive Task Force News

Nashville-based Ingram Marine Group, one of the largest barging companies in the U.S., announced Monday that David O’Loughlin will retire from his role as CEO. He will be succeeded by John Roberts, the company’s current chief operating officer, who will take the helm as the new president and CEO on February 1. O’Loughlin will stay with the company as vice chair for the remainder of 2022 to assist with the transition. “Dave has been invaluable to our company and our people,” said Ingram Barge Company chairman Orrin H. Ingram II.

Mike Monahan was elected to Blue Danube Incorporated’s Board of Directors on February 8, 2019. Blue Danube Incorporated is the holding company of Campbell Transportation Company Inc. Michael J. Monahan joined Campbell Transportation Company (“Campbell”) as President in October of 2011. Campbell is a privately held company which is based in Houston, PA. Campbell and its subsidiaries employ approximately 300 employees, owns and manages over 1,100 barges and 40 to 50 towboats, 3 major shipyards…

Late last year, the Transportation Research Board released a major study that was undertaken “in response to the rapid development of domestic sources of energy and questions about the safest ways to move these products.” The Study Committee examined the operational responses of the three primary modes impacted by the fracking revolution – rail, pipeline and maritime. A primary observation of this work was that that the “Marine Transportation System Offers a Model for Robust Safety…

Craig E. Philip, Chief Executive Officer, Ingram Barge Company, today announced several changes and promotions for the Marine Group. Dave O’Loughlin has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Vessel Operations and Strategic Sourcing, reporting to Kaj Shah, President, Ingram Barge Company. Mr. O’Loughlin will head up vessel operations and oversee a strategic sourcing team comprised of the external services and purchasing departments. He most recently served as Vice President of Dry Cargo Customer Service. Mr.

Industry and the federal government continue to work together to improve less than optimal conditions on the U.S. inland waterways. Measurable, although slow progress is being achieved. The summer of 2012 brought drought and poor navigating conditions to the inland waterways. Low water levels continued into the fall and threaten to move into winter, but the event has demonstrated how barge industry and government relations have changed over the years and what challenges remain.

US Army Corps of Engineers battle extreme low-water conditions to keep the river' scommercial navigation moving. Five dredges are kept moving rapidly from one trouble spot to another to keep up with dynamic low water operational demands, the Corps is also working very closely with the navigation industry and the U.S. Coast Guard to communicate concerns, groundings and changing conditions to avoid accidents and river closures. Unless additional rainfall occurs, the latest long-range forecast calls for river conditions to continue to fall through the end of August with new low-water records possible at several key navigation points along the lower Mississippi between Cairo, Ill., and Baton Rouge.

Low-water levels resulting from severe drought conditions in the US Midwest have potential for significant national economic consequences. The low-water levels resulting from severe drought conditions in the Midwest are a stark contrast to the historic flooding of 2011 but share the same potential for significant economic consequences, said Tom Allegretti, President & CEO of American Waterways Operators, a 350-member trade association representing the nation’s tugboat, towboat and barge industry. The implications of the drought conditions and low-water levels are a one-two punch for the economy, impacting both the agricultural community and one of the major modes of transporting agricultural and other essential products,” Allegretti said.

The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association for the U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry, announced that following consultations with the U. S. Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers, the industry is establishing new and additional voluntary precautions for safe transit on the inland waterways during the unprecedented flooding event now being experienced. Working closely with the Coast Guard and the Corps of Engineers through the River Industry Executive Task Force (RIETF)…

American Commercial Lines LLC announced that Stephen A. Frasher will step down as President and CEO effective April 30, 2004. ACL will make the following executive changes on that date. Richard L. Huber will assume the position of Chief Executive Officer of American Commercial Lines LLC. Mr. Huber has been a member of the ACL Board since 2000, and currently serves as its Chairman. Mr. Huber has over forty years of investment and merchant banking, international business, and management experience, having held executive positions with Chase Manhattan Bank, Citibank, Bank of Boston, and Continental Bank. He was most recently CEO of Aetna, Inc.

Commanding Officers conference. At the meeting, Admiral Casto and his staff outlined Coast Guard proposals to reorganize the Eighth District, splitting much of the inland rivers and the Gulf Coast into two separate regions. The proposal would have the effect of recreating the old Second District, which was closed in a cost cutting measure in 1996. As a part of the previous reorganization effort, staff levels were cut. For instance, prior to 1995, the old Eighth District had Marine Safety Division staff of 27 people to cover the Gulf Coast. Today the division has only 25 people to cover the Gulf Coast and all of the inland system. Admiral Casto said that the new security responsibilities of the Coast Guard make the current structure unworkable.