Creole King Christened in Port of Iberia
A landmark moment in Gulf Coast industry was celebrated today with the christening of Creole King, a state-of-the-art barge-mounted stevedoring crane, at the Port of Iberia.Operated by Cooper Consolidated and assembled by E-Crane’s Gulf Coast Service team, the Creole King represents a technological and environmental leap forward for midstream cargo operations. Standing 75 feet tall with a reach of 125 feet, the Creole King is powered by the largest E-Crane of its kind in North America—the EC30382 PD-E from the 4000C Series.
US Inland Waterway Infrastructure: Riding a Good News Wave
The inland waterways have enjoyed several positive developments toward modernization of the system, particularly over the last two years.Annual appropriations that fund the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission have been steadily on the rise for the last nine fiscal years, specifically the Construction and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) accounts have been funded at historic levels. The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021 provided a…
Master Marine Lays First Keel of Four-vessel Order
Master Marine said it has laid the first keel of four new 67’ x 28’ fleet boats ordered in September. Each boat will be powered by a pair of S6R2-Y3MPTAW Mitsubishi 803 HP tier III diesel marine engines to be operated at 1,400 RPM coupled to Twin Disc 5321 gears. The boats will be set up with 10,400 gallons of fuel, 4,359 gallons of potable water and 9,500 gallons of ballast water along with providing a maximum 7’-9” working draft. All four fleet boats will be working in the Cairo fleeting area for Waterfront Services and CGB Enterprises.
Master Marine Begins Building Its Next Towboat Series
Master Marine said it has laid the first keel with a contract signed in September for four 67’ x 28’ fleet boats. Each boat will be powered by a pair of S6R2-Y3MPTAW Mitsubishi 803 HP tier III diesel marine engines to be operated at 1,400 RPM coupled to Twin Disc 5321 gears. The boats will be set up with 10,400 gallons of fuel, 4,359 gallons of potable water and 9,500 gallons of ballast water along with providing a maximum 7’-9” working draft. All four fleet boats will be working in the Cairo fleeting area for Waterfront Services and CGB Enterprises. The first vessel will be delivered and in service the summer of 2017, with additional vessels to follow every three months.
CGB to Invest $30 mln in Indiana Port
Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. (CGB) announced plans today to expand its operations at the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon, investing more than $31 million to increase its soybean processing capabilities in southwest Indiana. “Indiana is a state known around the world for building things and growing things, and because CGB plays a key role in both, this soybean processor is helping advance our economy,” said Governor Mike Pence. “After processing soybeans in southwest Indiana for nearly twenty years, CGB knows firsthand the benefits of operating in a state that works for business. CGB’s processing plant was constructed in 1997, at that time processing 65,000 bushels of soybeans each day into soybean meal, soybean oil and soy hull pellets for both food and industrial uses.
Barge Shipments of Brazil Soy Bound for US Midwest Crushers
Deep discounts for Brazilian soybeans are creating an unexpected new market with U.S. processors and animal producers far upstream in the heart of the Midwest farm belt where the beans will be shipped on barges. While light soybean imports by U.S. users along the Gulf and East Coast are not uncommon, it has been nearly two decades since South American supplies were unloaded at the Louisiana Gulf and towed up the Mississippi River to inland processors. The current trend reverses the usual flow of barge traffic and sees ports around New Orleans which usually load ocean-going ships with beans switching to unloading arrivals onto barges.
ACL Selected to Serve on the IWUB
American Commercial Lines (ACL) has been selected to serve as a representative on the Inland Waterways Users Board (IWUB), an advisory board established to monitor the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (Fund) and make recommendations to the Army Corps of Engineers and to Congress on investment priorities using resources from the Fund. Comprised of representatives of the barge transportation industry and the customers it serves, the IWUB provides input to help identify and prioritize investment in inland navigation infrastructure.
Waterways Council Names Officers & Directors
Richard R. (Rick) Calhoun, Cargo Carriers, Chairman; Cornel Martin, President & CEO; Merritt Lane, Canal Barge Line, Vice Chairman; Rodney Weinzierl, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Vice Chairman; Matt Woodruff, Kirby Corporation, Counsel; Peter Stephaich, Campbell Transportation Company, Secretary; Cherrie Felder, Channel Shipyard Company, Treasurer. Dan Mecklenborg, Ingram Barge Line Co., was named Immediate Past Chairman, and Berdon Lawrence, Kirby Corporation and Mark Knoy, AEP River Operations, were named Honorary Past Chairmen. Named to At Large positions were Michael Hennessey, CONSOL Energy Co.; Tim Parker, Jr., Parker Towing Company; Stephen Little, Crounse Corporation; and Dale Roth, Carpenter’s District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity.
