Marquette Transportation Company News

The first towboat of 2024 passed through Lock and Dam 2, in Hastings, Minn. on Sunday, signaling the start of this year's navigation season on the Mississippi River.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' St. Paul District said it considers the first tow to arrive at Lock and Dam 2 as the unofficial start of the Mississippi River navigation season, because it means all of its locks are accessible to commercial and recreational vessels.On Sunday, Marquette Transportation Company's Joseph Patrick Eckstein traveled through the lock with 12 barges en route to St.

T. Parker Host (HOST) announced it has appointed Jarred Adams as its new director of health, safety and environment (HSE). Adams is a native of the New Orleans region and brings with him more than a decade of experience developing standardized safety systems and programs to strengthen workplace safety.Adams will oversee the company’s workplace safety programs, ensure proper employee training and manage compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. He joins the team during HOST’s 100-year anniversary and will be based at Avondale Global Gateway…

I. MoneyNo one ever said it’s easy to understand federal budgets and spending plans. Nevertheless, a general sense of clarity and straightforwardness is critical for any review of public expenditures. This becomes more pressing when tracking revenue and expenditures linked to specific users’ fees, such as the $0.29/gallon fuel tax, paid by inland waterways operators. In 2021, the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) held $221.5 million, money earmarked to build, maintain and operate…

Paducah, Ky. based Marquette Transportation Company earlier this year held a christening ceremony in New Orleans for its towboat Charles Reid Perry.The vessel, built in 2019 by C&C Marine and Repair in Belle Chasse, La., is named after the grandson of Marquette executive chairman John Eckstein. Alix Eckstein Perry, John Eckstein’s daughter and mother of the vessel’s namesake, officially christened the boat.The Charles Reid Perry is designed to operate on the Lower Mississippi River and has the capacity to take up to 42 loads southbound during normal operating conditions.For main propulsion…

At its meeting held November 6 in Paducah, Ky., the National Waterways Foundation (NWF) has re-elected the following Trustees:Cherrie Felder, Channel Shipyard CompaniesPeter H. Stephaich, Campbell Transportation CompanyH. Merritt Lane, Canal Barge CompanyClark Todd, Blessey MarineKristin Beck, LaFargeHolcimStephen SheridanThe NWF also elected the following new Trustees:Jennifer Carpenter, CEO, American Waterways OperatorsAndrew Brown, Vice President - Legal & Claims, Ingram Barge CompanyJason Nyberg…

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…

Five crewmembers have been rescued from a towing vessel that sank in the Mississippi River near Laplace, La., Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.At approximately 3 p.m Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report that the St. Rita, owned and operated by Marquette Transportation Company, sank on the right descending bank on the Mississippi River.The five crewmembers that were on board the vessel were rescued by nearby towing vessel, Rod C, and then transported to shore. No injuries were reported. There are no reported impacts to vessel traffic and the river remains open, the Coast Guard said.According to the Coast Guard, the St.

Belle Chasse, La. based shipbuilder C&C Marine and Repair has delivered the third vessel in a series of four new towboats for Marquette Transportation Company.Delivery of the new vessel, a 6,600-horsepower, 160’ x 50’ triple-screw z-drive towboat named m/v Jerry Jarrett, comes four months after delivery of the series’ second towboat, m/v Chris Reeves, and seven months after the first, m/v Cindy L. Erickson.Following delivery of the second vessel, Marquette exercised an option for a fourth towboat…

Louisiana shipyard C&C Marine and Repair has delivered the second towboat in a series of three 6,600 hp, 160’ x 50’ triple-screw z-drive newbuilds for Marquette Transportation Company.The delivery of the new towboat m/v Chris Reeves comes three months after the series' lead vessel m/v Cindy L. Erickson was handed over in February 2018.The third in the series is scheduled for delivery this August, with a fourth optional towboat lined up for delivery in December.Chris Reeves was designed by CT Marine…

A coalition of maritime business and industry organizations sent a letter to key Members of Congress on Friday, March 24 urging funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to further support efforts undertaken by the State of Illinois to slow, stop and reverse the migration of Asian carp, an aquatic invasive species, through cost-effective measures. In the letter, the UnLock Our Jobs (UOJ) coalition members review the record of success that the GLRI has had in working with the State of Illinois to develop a range of strategies to control Asian carp…

Four corporate professionals have recently joined Inland Marine Service (IMS), announced Dave Hammond, President of Inland Marine Service. The new hires are Kristina Luna, HR Manager; Moses Garza, Tankerman Supervisor; Caleb King, Manager SHEQ/Compliance Director; and Brian Howell, Assistant Port Engineer. Reporting to Jason Adams, Luna will be based out of the Hebron office and will be responsible for all of the company’s human relations needs. Luna has 20 years of experience in employee management, human resources, event planning, marketing, and sales.

Gulf Island Shipyards, LLC recently delivered the second of a three-vessel new build program for Marquette Transportation Company of Paducah Kentucky. The M/V Loree Eckstein, named after John Eckstein’s wife, was delivered on February 18, 2016 at Gulf Island Shipyards’ Houma (South) yard. This vessel is 180 ft. x 48 ft. x 11.5 ft. and is powered by twin EMD 20-710 G7C Tier 3, low emission diesel engines capable of producing over 10,000 horsepower via Lufkin gearboxes. Pushing the vessel are a pair of ducted, stainless steel, five-bladed propellers 10 ft. in diameter.

Marquette Transportation Company LLC, a U.S. towboat operator, is exploring a sale that could value it at more than $1 billion and has attracted the interest of Dell Inc Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell, according to people familiar with the matter. Marquette's owners, that include its founders and buyout firm KRG Capital Partners LLC, are working with investment bank Harris Williams & Co on an auction for the company that is already underway, the people said this week. Private equity firms and family offices are vying for Marquette, including MSD Capital LP, the private investment firm of Michael Dell and his family, the people added. Marquette has annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of close to $150 million, the people said.

Marquette Transportation Company, headquartered in Paducah, Kentucky, has selected Jeppesen Workboat Navigator for its fleet of over 80 inland towboats. As one of the nation’s larger inland river transporters, Marquette transports agricultural products, aggregates, liquids and construction products to points along America’s inland waterway network. Jeppesen Workboat Navigator is an information service that provides mariners with a combination of detailed vector-based digital marine charts, location-based data, such as Notices to Mariners, and input from onboard sensors, such as GPS, radar, AIS, heading sensors, and onboard cameras. Jeppesen…