Page 21: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2020)

2020 Yearbook

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Ballast Water

Management System

Superior reliability,

The Author service and performance

Calhoun

Deb Calhoun is the Interim

President/CEO, Waterways

Council, Inc.

increase investment in the IWTF for priority navigation proj- ects. Currently, inland waterways operators pay the highest fuel tax of any surface mode of transportation.

There continues to be talk within Congress and the Admin- istration about an infrastructure package for the nation, al- though one foated early in the Trump Administration proved unsuccessful with the remaining challenge of how to pay for 75% of shipowners enhancing the nation’s infrastructure? WCI remains support- selecting Ecochlor technology ive of additional funding for the infrastructure of the inland have previously tried other navigation system within a potential comprehensive infra-

Ballast Water Management structure bill. In the event that an infrastructure package be-

Systems gins to take shape, WCI will urge that the inland waterways www.ecochlor.com and its lock and dam infrastructure be included.

In 2020, WCI remains focused on the health and safety of its members during COVID-19. At press time, the nation’s lock and dams remain operational and commerce continues to move on the inland system, in spite of the virus’s havoc throughout the country.

Mother Nature is always a factor that must be considered and high water remains a challenge on the inland waterways system, but the Corps of Engineers is doing a masterful job of deploying dredges to hot spots to ensure channels remain open and navigable.

Ahead this year, the inland waterways industry and its ship- pers prepare for consolidated maintenance closures of the Il- linois Waterway.

On April 20, the Corps’ Rock Island District received the remainder of the funding necessary to execute the project and at press time, the project remains on track with the origi- nal schedule for fve-lock closures beginning in early July through September. Neither the Corps nor its contractors anticipate delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they remain vigilant to any potential changes.

Waterways transportation of key commodities underpins a robust American economy as our nation recovers from the impacts of COVID-19. These cargoes are moved on the in- land waterways in the safest, most energy effcient, traffc congestion relieving, environmentally sound way.

While the future currently may seem somewhat uncertain,

WCI will continue to advocate for increased reliability in in- land waterways infrastructure that provides our nation a clear channel toward resilience and prosperity.

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