Page 53: of Marine News Magazine (August 2020)

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CAMPBELL

Credit: Campbell Transportation Company of reinvesting in that infrastructure, and we need to do aren’t as familiar as we’d like with the bene? ts of barge a better. Hopefully in this current WRDA bill that’s in transportation in terms of better freight capacity, cost-ef? -

Congress the cost share of Inland Waterway Trust Fund ciency, carbon footprint and safety as compared to rail and projects will be modi? ed. I don’t think it will be where I’d road transportation. Most people don’t fully understand hoped it might be, but I think it will get modi? ed and that this value for themselves as well as for the U.S. economy.

will help. It’s going to take a long time to invest in what we DK: Preserving the Jones Act is the most important issue need to reinvest in. Keeping that ? re lit is very important. for us, now more than ever. COVID-19 has demonstrated

We’re heading in the right direction, but we’ve always how important it is. I think about some of the supply is- struggled to be recognized. We’re kind of a silent giant. sues we’ve had with masks, and a big issue with those is

You go to most towns where the river goes through, most that they are being made oversees and the supply chain was people don’t realize the volume of commodities that ? oat severely disrupted because of that. One argument against by on our inland waterways. And we often have the same the Jones Act over the years has been to outsource your problem getting recognition in D.C. maritime expertise and let the word market compete, but

DO: Infrastructure needs and overall awareness of the this is a perfect example of why that’s not a good idea. In bene? ts of barge transportation. Regarding infrastructure, times of crisis, the U.S. maritime industry has stayed resil- lock and dam funding is needed at the full and ef? cient ient and reliable. Had it been outsourced to other coun- level for the Corps of Engineers to make the river system tries that were locked down and couldn’t send their people operate more ef? ciently. For awareness, people generally over, all of a sudden we wouldn’t be able to move goods.

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