Page 81: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 1994)

Report: Inland Barge Transportation

Best Environmental Choice

MarAd Report Cites Studies & Research

A report issued by the Mari time Administration (MarAd) concludes that inland barge transportation is a safe, efficient, economical and environmentally sound method to transport prod- ucts, and superior in performance when compared to both rail and truck.

Energy Efficiency

According to the report, numer- ous studies on fuel efficiency, in- cluding studies sponsored by the

U.S. Department of Energy, indi- cate similar results: shallow-draft water transportation is the most fuel efficient mode of transportation for moving bulk raw material, is the least energy intensive method of freight transportation when mov- ing equivalent amounts of cargo, and consumes less energy than al- ternative modes. Specifically, the report quotes two comprehensive studies done by the U.S. Congres-

Figure 1

Measures of freight Energy Efficiency (BTUs per net ton/mile)

Mode Operating Line-Haul Modal

Energy (1) Energy (2) Energy (3)

Rail - Overall 660 1,130 1,720

Unit Coal Train 370 590 890

Truck - Average

Intercity 2,100 2,800 3,420

Barge - Overall 420 540 990

Upstream 580 700 1,280

Downstream 220 340 620

Note: net ton/miles includes weight of cargo only. (1) Propulsion energy, including refinery losses (2) Combines operating energy with maintenance energy, vehicle manufacturing energy and construction energy (3) Adjusts line-haul energy for circuitry

Source: Congressional Budget Office, U.S. Congress, Energy Use In Freight Transportation sional Budget Office (CBO) and S.E.

Eastman. The major finding of the

CBO study was that inland barges were most efficient in terms of oper- ating energy, line-haul energy and modal energy (see Figure 1 for de- tails). The Eastman study found "barge transportation to be the most fuel efficient method of moving the raw materials and semi-finished products..." The study showed a range of 270 BTUs and 350 BTUs per ton/mile, versus a range of 650

BTUs to 750 BTUs per ton/mile for rail. Another study performed by the RAND Corp. and detailed in the

MarAd report determined that, on average, water carriers consume 500 BTUs of energy per ton/mile, the lowest of any mode studied. The next lowest, rail transportation, con- sumed 750 BTUs per ton/mile, and trucks consumed 2,400 BTUs per ton/mile. In real terms — fuel burned — these numbers indicated that water carriers burn about 3.6 gallons of fuel per 1,000 ton/miles of cargo moved. Other studies by in- dependent carriers have shown con- sumption rates reportedly as low as 2.92 and 2.99 gallons on the same basis.

Safety

Transporting freight of any kind, to any destination, in today's envi- ronmental climate means accepting the responsibility to transport it safely. Several studies have shown that water transport has the fewest number of incidents, fatalities and injuries of any surface mode, accord- ing to the MarAd report.

In fact, an independent modal (Continued on page 70)

Figure 2

Emission Tow Other Total

Source Boats Transport

NOx 3,297 105,932 433,637

THC 939 198,063 295,124

CO 2,101 980,944.. 3,852,753

SOx 462 7,887.. 1,234,395

Part 198 8,940 354,672

NOx = Oxides of Nitrogen

THC = Hydrocarbons

CO = Carbon Monoxide

SO - Oxides of Sulfur

Part = Particulates

Source: Army Corps of Engineers, National Waterways

Study