Page 24: of Marine News Magazine (June 2015)

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COLUMN OP/ED ment of Transportation Headquarters ress developing a container-on-barge the United States, and far too few of in Washington, DC. MARAD facili- service for the route. us understand the value of the Ma- tated a candid discussion between the As I noted earlier, our inland rivers rine Transportation System. So take mayors and representatives of private and waterways can be the edge our advantage of every opportunity to vessel operators, shippers, ports and nation needs going forward. That’s tell others how the inland waterways terminals. We addressed opportuni- why MARAD is working hard to bring coal to the utility plants that ties and challenges facing Mississippi spearhead recapitalization and reform provide electricity to our houses; how

River shipping, and as we did so, we efforts, and why we want elected rep- 15-barge tows move grain and other developed a healthy atmosphere of resentatives to reach across party lines, agricultural products to markets do- information exchange, collaboration partner with the private sector, and mestic and ultimately abroad; and and achievement. make investments and models for how the waterborne supply chain en-

I am sure that some of you are fa- growth on the inland waterways. sures cement and gravel for construc- miliar with how this effort turned It’s also why MARAD is asking you tion sites nationwide. out. During the last week of April, – the readers of MarineNews – to do Building awareness is a valuable but

Secretary Anthony Foxx announced your part to help us create a more ro- often overlooked means of building the designation of the M-55/M-35 bust inland waterway system. While support for our inland waterways—

Container-on-Barge Marine Highway some of us are in prime positions to and it’s an approach that we can’t af-

Project, which will provide services assist dredging efforts and/or rein- ford to dismiss. Our inland waterways between Chicago and Minneapolis force our aging lock and dam infra- have signi