MHI News
News on the America's Marine Highway Initiative
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Open a New Highway on the Sea
On December 13, 2007, Mr. Rockford Weitz of the Boston based Christian Science Monitor wrote an article supportive of the marine highway concept. In his article, he noted that major accidents along I-95 can bring the economic corridor to a “grinding halt.”
Instead of relying solely on highway transportation, Mr. Weitz recommends coastal shipping to strengthen the resilience of America’s Transportation System. Specifically, the author believes that policymakers should “allocate funding to add facilities in smaller ports that would serve domestic shipping lines.” For a complete copy of the article, please see the link below:
www.csmonitor.com/2007/1213/p09s02-coop.html
USA TODAY: Waterways Could be Key to Freeing Up Freeways
On October 10, 2007, Mr. Larry Copeland of USA TODAY wrote an article that increased use of the waterways could help “lucrative cargo moving at a snail’s pace reach its destination more quickly.”
In describing America’s Marine Highways initiative, USA TODAY went on to quote Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton that idea "is going back to the future." The Administrator went on to explain that “the original interstates for the United States were its waterways. Prior to the advent of rail and the interstate highway system, the vast majority of goods and people moved by boat."
The Maritime Administration and several private companies hope to educate state and local governments, shippers and carriers on the economics of shipping by water.
"We're working with state and local governments to try and move some of the trucks and higher-end cargo, put them onto vessels and get them off the roads and around the bottlenecks," Connaughton says.
To see the complete article, please go to:
www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-10-truckside_N.htm?cap=34
Columbia Coastal Transport Announces New Marine Highway Service to Portland, Maine
Columbia Coastal Transport will launch a new bi-weekly container barge service linking the ports of
Portland, Maine and the Port of New York/New Jersey effective August 19, 2007. This expansion of
the company’s Northern Service not only enables steamship lines to offer through bills of lading to
and from Portland, but will give northern New England importers and exporters a “greener”
alternative to move multiple containers in either direction.
For a complete press release, see the Company’s website at:
www.columbia-coastal.com/CCTransport_New_Site_1_2004/index10B.html
Hampton Roads Firm Seeks Money to Set Up Service to Richmond
-Barge Project Appears Feasible-
See the Virginian Pilot--Tuesday, May 08, 2007 for full article
On this topic, U.S. Maritime Administration Administrator Sean T. Connaughton said the James River Barge Line looks viable. "They have a very good business plan," he told The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk.
"It's becoming more and more difficult to build our way out of this congestion," he said. "So using our waterways makes an enormous amount of sense." While the Agency is looking for the requested federal dollars, the Maritime Administration is asking Virginia if it would share some of the cost, Connaughton said.
Massachusetts Eyes Funding for Short Sea Shipping
by R.G. Edmonson
JOURNAL of COMMERCE ONLINE
On May 9, 2007, the Journal of Commerce published an article about the marine highway in the Northeastern United States.
For the full article please see:www.joc.com
Short Sea Shipping Offers One Answer to Highway Congestion
On June 1, 2007, The Jacksonville Business Journal printed an article on short sea shipping.
For more information, see the Journal's website item:
www.jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2007/06/04/story7.html
Osprey Line Adds New Service to New Orleans
On February 24, 2005, the Port of New Oreleans announced a new marine highway service via Osprey Lines.
For a copy of the press release on this item, please contact Mr. Chris Bonura of the Port of New Orleans. Mr. Bonura can be reached on 504-528-3222. For information on Osprey lines see www.ospreylines.com.
Port Authority Launches Unique Cargo Distribution System
Public Affairs Department, The Port Authority of NY and NJ
December 13, 2002
For an archive copy of this article concerning the introduction of a new port, and new marine highway service see: www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/PressCenter/PressReleases/PressRelease/index.php?id=294
Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry Issues Statement on SSS Harbor Management Fees
In January, 2004, the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry issued an extended statement regarding Harbor Management fees. For more information contact:
the DETROIT-WINDSOR Truck Ferry,
telephone: 313-842-2088 or see their website at:
http://www.truckferry.com/index.html
News Articles
Floridian Decision Tool for Coastal Shipping
by Mr. Mark Yonge
Marine Transportation Logistic Advisors, LLC (MTLA)
In 2006, a maritime consultant (MTLA) completed a decision tool for Port Canaveral, FL on the profitable application of coastal shipping. For additional information, please contact:
Marine Transportation Logistics Advisors, LLC
www.maritimeadvisors.com
Analysis: Reversals of Fortune
by Dr. Asaf Ashar
Containerisation International, January 2004
According to Dr. Ashar of the Ports and Waterways Institute, US ports face a range of difficult – but not intractable – problems,related to capacity, capability and connectivity. In the referenced article, Dr. Ashar suggests a range of measures (including the marine highways) that may help. For additional information, please contact:
National Ports & Waterways Institute (NPWI)
2300 N Street NW
Washington DC 20037
or,
contact Dr. Ashar at:
aashar@uno.edu
Truckers Still Waiting for Relief
by Bill Michelmore
the Buffalo News, 11/24/2004
In this article, Mr. Bill Michelmore of the Buffalo News took a look at several concepts to alleviate border congestion, including marine highway concepts. For additional information, the article is archived at:
The Buffalo News
www.buffalonews.com
Container on Barge Service Launched
Port of Greater Baton Rouge, LA
January 27,2004.
For information, please contact the Port of Greater Baton Rouge at www.portgbr.com.
Kirby Corporation Announces Purchase of One-Third Interest in Osprey Line, LLC, - April 16, 2004 -Kirby Corporation
For additional information on this and other Kirby initiatives see the Kirby Corporation website at www.kirbycorp.com.
San Franciso Bay Area Voters Approve New Funding For Major Ferry Expansion - Mar. 3, 2004, Water Transit Authority
For Additional Informaton Contact:
Heidi Machen on 415-291-3377 ext. 3189, or see:
www.watertransit.org
New Director for Marine Highways and Passenger Services
The Maritime Administration has named James D. Pugh to head its Office of Marine Highways and Passenger Services in Washington, D.C. Jim will focus on expanding the use of America’s coastal, intracoastal and inland waterways to reduce landside congestion, reduce energy consumption and increase opportunities for American mariners, shipbuilding and the overall economy. He will also oversee the office of Passenger Vessel Services, which was established to support the passenger and cruise industry and its multi-billion dollar contribution to the economy as well as the congestion relief that passenger ferries offer nationwide.
Prior to this assignment, Jim was the Deputy Division Chief in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Domestic Ports Division. He brings over three decades of marine transportation experience to the position, including Executive Director of the Port of Houston, Executive Director of the Indiana Port Commission, Senior Director in the Port of San Diego, President of the first scheduled containership service from Memphis to Central America. Jim also served as Vice Chairman of the American Association of Port Authorities.
Barge Service to Link Texas Ports
Schaefer Stevedoring of Brownsville, TX, and Richardson Marine in Houston, plan to start a short sea barge service connecting the two ports in July.
Although the service will be carrying primarily steel products, it is expected that shippers of other bulk, breakbulk and project cargoes will be attracted to the service.
Kenton E. Schaefer II, of Schaefer Stevedoring, noted the weak dollar has made U.S. steel more attractive to many Mexican importers because its relative cost compared to steel coming from overseas. These include companies based around Monterey, Mexico, as well as companies in central and southern Mexico that have not been the traditional sources of trade for the Port of Brownsville.
In addition to Brownsville, Schaefer Stevedoring also has facilities in Tampico and Veracruz that are familiar with the Mexican market. "These companies want to buy American steel, but they can't put a barge load together," says Schafer, so the new service will assist companies by pooling shipments. Rather than having to buy steel in barge load lots -- about 1,500 tons -- buyers and sellers of just a few hundred tons will be able to take advantage of the lower cost of moving cargo by water between the two cities.
"The other part of this is the exports, the Mexican product going into the U.S. that typically goes by truck," Schaefer said. Shippers typically pay about $45 a ton to move cargo by truck between the two cities, he said, and the new service may be able to do the same move for about two-thirds the cost.
Transit time will be about five to seven days, but Schaefer said "if it is not time sensitive, and a lot of this stuff isn't, then it just makes sense." In addition, he notes there will be an environmental benefit to removing trucks from Texas highways.
While the two companies are just beginning to market the service, Schaefer expects the service to appeal to mills in the Monterey area that buy coils or flat products from U.S. producers and then make it into tubing, angle channels or beams that they then ship to Houston.