Page 16: of Marine News Magazine (March 2019)

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INSIGHTS

Company has approximately 500 employees, owns and operates 50 boats, 1,100 barges and four shipyards. Peter brings a unique perspective to the inland river business.

Prior to arriving on the domestic waterfront, Stephaich lived in Europe and New York City where he worked for various fnancial institutions, including Lazard Frères, and

Bankers Trust Company. At Bankers Trust, Mr. Stephaich concentrated on international fnancial advisory work,

Peter Stephaich mostly in the transportation and aerospace industries. A

All Images: courtesy Campbell Transportation Company native of New York City, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and his MBA, with a major

Chairman & CEO, in fnance, from New York University. While he speaks fve languages, he is particularly fuent in ‘river’ talk. This

Campbell Transportation month, he weighs in on all things ‘inland.’

Company

You are currently the chairman of the board of the

WCI. Give us your assessment of today’s market con- eter H. Stephaich is Chairman and CEO of Blue ditions on U.S. inland waters, especially in the areas

Danube Incorporated and Campbell Transporta- that Campbell operates. Talk about feet numbers,

Ption Company. Currently, he is also Chairman of supply and demand, etc.

the Board of the Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI). Peter

In calendar year 2017, 578 million tons valued at $220 also serves on the Board of Directors of Blue Danube, a billion were shipped on the fuel-taxed portion of our in- position that he has held since 1982. Serving the barge land waterways system. That is up from 569 million tons industry for over 30 years in a number of key roles, he in calendar year 2016. On the Ohio River, we have seen also counts among his many qualifcations his tenure(s) as a spike in demand for coal, metallurgical and steam, both

Past Chairman and Past Treasurer of the American Wa- export and domestic. The domestic utility coal markets terways Operators (AWO), Past Chairman and Trustee of are experiencing low inventory levels, due in part to the the National Waterways Foundation, Vice Chairman and extremely diffculty operating conditions that we experi-

Executive Committee of Waterways Council (WCI) and enced in 2018.

as Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the Port of Pitts- burgh Commission.

What is the most important issue that inland opera-

Stephaich and his frm, Campbell Transportation tors face today? Is that issue the same for industry as

Company, own and operate boats, hopper barges, and it is for Campbell’s position?

jumbo barges on the Upper Ohio River. The company The Ohio River, were Campbell mostly operates, is specializes in servicing industrial customers on multi-year heavily dependent on Locks and Dams, without these barge transportation agreements. It moves primarily coal structures, we can’t operate. Period. Operators in the South to utility and steel industries. Campbell Transportation are not as dependent on these structures.

March 2019 16 MN