gica030924

Our Inland Waterways… the Responsible Alternative: 

Our Inland Waterways… the Responsible Alternative Presented to the Corps of Engineers Galveston District 2003 Dredging Conference Raymond Butler Executive Director Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association

Today We Want to Look at:: 

Today We Want to Look at: The value of our inland waterway system The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Its history Insuring it continues… the role of the GICA

Value of Inland Waterway System: 

Value of Inland Waterway System Modal comparisons Not intended as criticism Each mode has advantages All modes are needed to form our nation’s unique transportation system Barges are a key part of that system

Value of Inland Waterway System: 

Value of Inland Waterway System Water transportation delivers significant advantages when moving large quantities of bulk commodities over long distances: Fuel-efficiency Environmental benefits Relief of highway traffic congestion

Barges are Efficient: 

Barges are Efficient Barges move 16% of domestic intercity freight for less than 2% of the freight cost Barges save shippers and consumers over $7 billion annually, compared to truck and rail modes Barges have the greatest cargo capacity compared to truck or rail options

Barges are Efficient: 

Barges are Efficient A 60,000 bbl. two barge tow: = 80 railcars = 300 trucks

Barges areEnvironmentally Friendly: 

Barges are Environmentally Friendly One gallon of fuel can move one ton of freight 522 miles by barge, compared to 386 miles by train and 59 miles by truck

Barges areEnvironmentally Friendly: 

Barges are Environmentally Friendly Smog is a big problem in most major cities; oxides of nitrogen are the chemicals that produce smog While moving one ton of freight 1000 miles Trains produce 3.5 times the oxides of nitrogen as barges Trucks produce 19 times the oxides of nitrogen as barges Source: Environmental Protection Agency, Emission Control Lab

Barges Relieve Highway Congestion: 

Barges Relieve Highway Congestion

Barges Relieve Highway Congestion: 

Barges Relieve Highway Congestion To move domestic waterborne commerce by truck would require 41 million more truck trips

Barges Relieve Highway Congestion: 

Barges Relieve Highway Congestion To move domestic waterborne commerce by truck would require 9.9 billion gallons of additional fuel

Barges Relieve Highway Congestion: 

Barges Relieve Highway Congestion To move domestic waterborne commerce by truck would add 7.8 billion pounds of pollutants to the air each year

What is Important?: 

What is Important? Maintaining a healthy, viable inland waterway system Who we are is not important – what we do IS!

Valuing the Inland Waterway System: 

Valuing the Inland Waterway System Classic Economics Employees you have Taxes you pay Goods and services you buy

Valuing the Inland Waterway System: 

Valuing the Inland Waterway System The value of waterway transportation is based on its low cost Barges move 16% of domestic intercity freight for less than 2% of freight costs

Valuing the Inland Waterway System: 

Valuing the Inland Waterway System Barges save shippers over $7 billion annually on products shipped by barge Texas shippers, their customers and suppliers save $1.5 billion Missouri: $14 million Illinois: $45 million Ohio: $29 million

What We Do is Important: 

What We Do is Important Texas and Louisiana account for 80% of total US chemical and petro-chemical production

What We Do is Important: 

What We Do is Important Rail rates for Upper Midwest farmers are over $1 billion less because of Upper Mississippi barge rates

What We Do is Important: 

What We Do is Important Savings in health-related costs probably exceed $1 billion for Ohio River barge traffic

What We Do is Important: 

What We Do is Important The sugar industry in the Rio Grande Valley would not exist without barge transportation

What We Do is Important: 

What We Do is Important GIWW Corpus to Brownsville

Waterways are the Solution!: 

Waterways are the Solution! Both Europe and Japan have formal programs to shift freight transportation TO waterways to improve the environment and relieve highway congestion “Transport by inland waterway is still a greatly underused option. Nevertheless it has big advantages: it is kind to the environment, very safe, economical on non-renewable energy resources and helps relieve the pressure on the overcrowded road networks of north-west Europe. As a result it is ideally suited to further the objective of sustainable mobility, a priority of the EU’s common transport policy.”

Get the Facts…: 

Get the Facts… www.gicaonline.com www.dinamo-waterways.org www.waterways.org http://outreach.lrh.usace.army.mil David.V.Grier@wrc01.usace.army.mil

GIWW… A Brief History: 

GIWW… A Brief History Born in Victoria, 1905 Congress expanded, 1925-1942 Sabine/Corpus 100' x 9', 1941 Completed 426 miles x 125' x 12', 1949 St. Marks/Brownsville, 1300+ miles

The Early Days: 

The Early Days Industrial Lock - 1964 Completing the Job - 1949 STCO “Vulcan,” 700 H.P. - 1954 Dixie “Triumph,” 3000 H.P. - 1996

Insuring it Continues: 

Insuring it Continues A partnership between: US Coast Guard Army Corps of Engineers Industry Associations AWO TWOA LAWS GICA

Navigation Problems Report: 

Navigation Problems Report For the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and connecting tributaries Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association American Waterways Operators Association Texas Waterway Operators Association

Types of Navigation Problems: 

Types of Navigation Problems Blinding lights Bridges Aids to navigation (ATON) Hardened sites Wrecks, sunken or abandoned vessels Moorings Realigning channels Widening of buoys and beacons Morganza to the Gulf and Atchafalaya Basin

Thank You: 

Thank You