Page 52: of Marine News Magazine (August 2020)

51 53

one hundred

Credit: Ingram Barge Company

INGRAM wave right now, or if the virus didn’t fully get contained, What is the most important issue that we feel pretty good that we can build on what we learned inland operators face today, and what is before and still keep our operations going if there are sit- being done/should be done to address it?

uations like there was when the country is locked down.

CO: I think the most important issue today is the health

A lot it is still to-be-determined. We’re living as we go of our workforce and maintaining business continuity in face along here, but collectively, from our perspective, it’s not of COVID. As an industry, we are on the frontline in this going to be a v-shaped recovery. It’s going to be a slow pandemic battle, we are keeping fuel supplied, keeping our tick back up.

customers supply chains uninterrupted. The industry and reg-

LN: The real work on the water is going to stay largely ulators have responded allowing us to make complicated crew the same. Administratively, we certainly have proven we changes across state lines. All Carriers are working together can do a lot of work remotely. When it all comes down to well to keep the waterways open, we compete hard, but are it, we in the of? ce are just support. We made the decided united in taking care of our mariners. I want to thank the Kir- during our Zoom meetings that we should ? gure out what by crews for their focus and discipline as we respond to new equipment we need to work remotely and keep it in stock travel challenges, cleaning protocols, customer requirements.

so that when we get everybody back in the of? ce we can

LN: In addition to workforce challenges, national in- revert back to remote working at a moment’s notice. That’s vestment in waterway infrastructure is one of our greatest going to be a fairly signi? cant change, and I think there issues. Our forefathers built a tremendous system. Over will be fewer and smaller of? ces, quite frankly.

the course of the last few decades we have not a good job

August 2020

MN 52