Brownwater Newsletter

Brownwater News September 2021

Report identifies carbon reduction strategies on inland waterways A new report published by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Vanderbilt University explores different options for cutting carbon emissions on inland waterways. The report considers alternative fuels and propulsion systems,…

Brownwater News August 2021

One dead after Texas tour boat capsizes during storm  One person died and another was injured after a tour boat capsized during a thunderstorm on Lake Conroe near Houston, Texas. The 60-passenger double-decker Lake Conroe Queen rolled over at about 2015 on Aug. 14, according to a…

Brownwater News July, 2021

U.S.-flagged cruise ship aground in Lake Barkley Salvage efforts are ongoing to free a cruise ship that ran aground in Lake Barkley, within the Cumberland River, near the Kentucky town of Cadiz. Donjon-SMIT is leading the effort to refloat American Jazz, which became…

Brownwater News June 2021

AWO elects Illinois Marine Towing’s Del Wilkins as chairman Membership of the American Waterways Operators (AWO) has selected Del Wilkins as its new chairman. Wilkins, the president of Illinois Marine Towing, was among a slate of new leaders elected to lead the national…

Brownwater News May 2021

Bridge fracture delays more than 1,000 barges on Lower Mississippi A fractured beam on a highway bridge spanning the Mississippi River at Memphis, Tenn., caused a three-day closure of the waterway that delayed towboats handling more than 1,000 barges. The…

Brownwater News April 2021

Engineers give inland waterways infrastructure grade of D+ Shipping delays caused by deteriorating infrastructure on the nation’s inland waterways cost up to $739 per hour for an average tow, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), which gave…

Brownwater News March 2021

AWO offers assistance for mariner vaccinations The American Waterways Operators (AWO) is making a letter available to its members to assist eligible mariners and other essential industry employees when they visit COVID-19 vaccination centers across the country. The letter verifies…

Brownwater News February 2021

Coast Guard confirms mask mandate for towing industry In a Feb. 8 post on its Maritime Commons website, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that a recent order by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires that operators of…

Brownwater News January 2021

AWO applauds Jones Act provision, other items in new defense bill Overriding President Trump’s veto, Congress enacted the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Jan. 1, delivering to the domestic maritime industry one of the most significant legislative victories in…

Brownwater News December 2020

AWO, coalition urge vaccine access for essential transportation workers The American Waterways Operators (AWO) has joined 10 other transportation groups to urge Congress to ensure access to the COVID-19 vaccine for the nation’s essential transportation workers. In a Dec. 9…

Brownwater News November 2020

Illinois Waterway locks reopen for barge traffic All locks on the Illinois Waterway have reopened for commercial navigation after extended closures this year for “significant” repairs, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced in late October. The Illinois Waterway, which…