Waterways Journal

Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is pleased to announce that the federal Sargent Beach Stabilization and Beach Nourishment project, led by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership …

Corn Island Shipyard, situated on a 50-acre site at Ohio River Mile 734 near Grandview, Ind., currently has several vessels under construction, the largest of which is a dump scow …

United Launch Alliance has announced that construction of the SpaceShip, the most recent rocket-launching vessel designed and built by Bollinger Shipyards, is almost finished. The vessel follows in the footsteps …

Robert Dale Suttles, a native of Jacksonville, Ill., who spent 26 years working for Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel, died unexpectedly March 5 in Naples, Fla. Suttles was 64 years …

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority recently announced the election of Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves to the position of chairman for 2026. The authority, composed of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee, …

Jason Stoterau is strategic development manager at Illinois Marine Towing (IMT), which provides towing, fleeting and shipyard services along the Illinois Waterway. Founded after the acquisition of Joliet Harbor Service …

In 1902, Arthur J. Dyer bought out his partner’s interests in the H.T. Sinnot Company and formed the Nashville Bridge and Construction Company. According to the Tennessee Encyclopedia, Dyer was …

Ted Verret is recognized for his hands-on management and contribution to the maritime industry. He owns and operates Verret Shipyard in Plaquemine, La., a specialized builder and repairer of towboats. …

As the inland and coastal barge fleet across the United States continues to age, the demand for efficient repair, retrofit and drydock services has increased. Located at the Port of …

American Ship & Dry-Dock Company has developed what it calls a Rapid Deployment and Modular Dry-Dock System, an approach that rethinks how floating drydocks are designed, transported and installed. According …

The Tennessee River Valley Association (TRVA) and Tennessee-Cumberland Waterways Council will hold their joint 59th annual meeting March 23 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Franklin Cool Springs in Franklin, …

The giant agricultural concern known as Cargill Inc. began in 1865 when William Wallace (W.W.) Cargill purchased his first grain storage facility in Conover, Iowa. He would continue to grow …

On March 6, Birdon America Inc. hosted senior leaders from the U.S. Coast Guard, industry partners, local officials and members of the community for the Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Keel …

By Jim Kearns, Special Counsel, Jones Walker LLP The Capital Construction Fund (CCF) program administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration provides, through tax benefits, an incentive to vessel owners and …

An unsuspecting observer probably wouldn’t think much of the little tugboat, with its green handrails and yellow stripes, moving up and down the Mississippi. At first glance, it’s impossible to …

Parker Towing Company is focusing on growing its diverse business lines while reinvesting in its fleet of vessels and hopper barges and positioning itself for future demand. Last year, the …

Spread across 70 acres in Port Arthur, Texas, with 3,100 feet of waterfront on the Sabine-Neches Canal and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Vessel Repair is a diversified shipyard built to …

Could some U.S. shipyards see robotic welders powered by artificial intelligence working alongside humans within a few years — or fewer? In February, Italian shipbuilding giant Fincantieri announced an industrial …

By Dave Matsuda, Small Shipyard Grant Coalition Congress delivered big for the Small Shipyard Grant Program in its Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations, with $35 million available — the most since …

When the U.S.S. Kidd returns to Baton Rouge this spring, the World War II destroyer will have a new look, but most importantly, a longer lifespan and a brighter future. …

The inland rivers of the United States have been viewed as essential means of transportation since the very beginnings of the nation. George Washington, soldier, statesman and first president of …

The Port of South Louisiana marked the completion of a new dock access bridge at its Globalplex Intermodal Terminal, calling the project a reliability and capacity upgrade designed to keep …

The U.S. Coast Guard will open a new training center at the site of the former Birmingham-Southern College, located in the Bush Hills neighborhood of Birmingham, Ala. The United Methodist …

The first phase of the St. Bernard Transportation Corridor, a planned elevated roadway that would connect the Port of New Orleans’ forthcoming container terminal in Violet, La., to the interstate …

It was 2006 when David Yarbrough first joined the Tulsa Ports (then called Tulsa Port of Catoosa) as an operations manager. “I was an engineer, so a newbie to the …

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers made waves February 23 with the release of its “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative, aimed at providing greater focus on the Corps of Engineers’ …

John “Johnny” Walding, born June 18, 1949, in Ensley, Ala., passed away February 6. He was 76 years old. Walding graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a …

A key Senate committee easily advanced a comprehensive bill that includes 17 bipartisan measures to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasting, warning and hazard communication capabilities. Passed …

After close to 10 years in business, Barnes Marine Service has invested in a new warehouse at 1201 N. 6th St. in Paducah, Ky. The 16,600-square-foot facility represents a major …

For most of the world, Mardi Gras week in New Orleans means parades, king cakes, costumes and, in the case of 2026, the one-day reign of this year’s Rex, King …

Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll, assistant secretary of the Army (civil works) Adam Telle, Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham, the Corps’ chief of engineers and commanding general, …

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle has announced a major initiative to “return USACE to a focus on its core missions and ensure the enterprise continues …

About 41,000 Coast Guard personnel, along with about one-third of its civilian employees, have been working without pay since a federal funding lapse February 14 initiated a partial shutdown of …

Richard William Bludworth Jr., born August 22, 1948, in Houston, died February 16 in Houston at the age of 77. A graduate of Texas Tech University, Bludworth worked for Continental …

Reading the latest Old Boat Column about the Sergeant Floyd brought back memories from when I made a short trip from Nauvoo, Ill., to Keokuk, Iowa, on September 11, 1975. …

The recent ice on the Illinois River, as well as the annual Missouri River Navigators Meeting at Jefferson City, Mo., last week, brought the Henry S. Sturgis to mind. The …

The annual Missouri River Navigators Meeting on February 19 in Jefferson City, Mo., gave those in attendance the opportunity to discuss key issues along the waterway. Shane Kinne, executive director …

Joseph Powell didn’t set out to become an educator. However, as security manager at the Port of Pascagoula, he’s become an advocate for maritime workforce development—taking a program designed for …

The Mississippi River Commission (MRC) has announced dates and locations for its annual high water inspection tour, set for the last week in March. The commission, headquartered in Vicksburg, Miss., …

Dallas-based Arcosa Inc., a provider of infrastructure-related products and services, has announced an agreement to sell subsidiary Arcosa Marine Products Inc. (Arcosa Marine) to Wynnchurch Capital L.P., a Rosemont, Ill.-based …

Maritime transportation company Southern Devall announced February 25 that women comprise nearly 70 percent of the company’s crewing coordination team. The company called the achievement “a critical milestone in an …

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the American Waterways Operators (AWO) have announced the renewal of a Memorandum of Agreement that reaffirms a shared commitment between the chemical industry and …

With the Missouri River Navigator’s meeting scheduled to take place at Jefferson City, Mo., February 18–19, my thoughts naturally have turned to that stream. Most are familiar with the Lewis …

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the American Waterways Operators (AWO) have announced the renewal of a Memorandum of Agreement that reaffirms a shared commitment between the chemical industry and …

By now, most maritime professionals have heard of Action Intel. The data software company is known for its BargeAI application, a program developed by Action Intel founder Dr. Susan Olson. …

A shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headed toward its second week, minus the urgency that might be expected for the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency …

Upper Ohio River aficionado and photographer John Francis “Fran” Mullen, 84, of Gallipolis, Ohio, died February 14, following a recent diagnosis of leukemia. He was born in the upper Ohio …

In Pascagoula, Miss., the “flagship city” on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the U.S. Coast Guard marked a historic milestone last month with the commissioning of cutter Olivia Hooker, named for …

We recently featured an interview with Ed Weilbacher, who became executive director of the Kaskaskia River Port District after retiring from a previous job—and stayed on the job for 11 …

The White House released its Maritime Action Plan on February 13, fulfilling an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on April 19 of last year. It is designed to …