Page 42: of Marine News Magazine (June 2017)

41 43

SHORTSEA SHIPPING

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PROJECT PROMISES PUBLIC-PRIVATE PROJECT PROMISES

TO REVIVE AMERICA’S MARINE HIGHWAYTO REVIVE AMERICA’S MARINE HIGHWAY

Plaquemines and American Patriot Holdings Plan New Container Port-Vessel System.

By Tom Ewing lans are underway for a new 4200-acre intermodal con- will be facile – assist tugs will not be needed because of azi- tainer terminal within the Port of Plaquemines Harbor muthing thrusters and bow pumps. [Just for comparison,

P and Terminal District. The project, a partnership (Ex- a 35-barge tow (5 barges wide and 7 barges long) typically clusivity Agreement) between the Port and American Patriot has an overall length of 1,365 feet and a beam of 175 feet.

Holdings (APH) calls for the development of a logistics sys- Conventional hopper barges hold approximately 30 con- tem for “vessel operations comprised of deep-water docking at tainers per barge, according to APCT.] the Pointe Celeste Container Terminal and multiple upriver As envisioned, initial service will be to St. Louis, a roundtrip terminals.” That’s the Mississippi River, of course, and initial of 11 days and to Memphis, a 7 day roundtrip. APH projects upriver terminals could be sited in Memphis and St. Louis. actual underway times to and from Memphis at 4.5 days per

The new facility would be the southern-most full service round trip and 8.7 days to St Louis. In comparison, say the port complex on the Mississippi, located between river- project’s organizers, a conventional tow would be underway miles 50 and 55. The