Inland Waterways News

Raymarine, a leader in marine electronics, announced that its Pathfinder Radar System has been selected by New Orleans-based Blessey Marine to support the company’s inland tow boat and barge fleet operating across the United States.As required on new and refitted vessels, Blessey Marine’s full fleet will be outfitted with Raymarine Commercial radars and displays in the coming months. These radar systems will help the Blessey Marine fleet transport its customers’ wide array of bulk cargoes safely and efficiently throughout the navigable inland waterways of the U.S.…

American Cruise Lines has announced 10 new ships for the U.S. market beginning with American Pioneer debuting in Florida on October 31st. American Pioneer is the 2nd new Patriot Class ship the company has launched this year. All American’s new boats will continue to sail domestically, operating itineraries across the Line’s growing portfolio, including the Mississippi River, Alaska, and the East Coast. The new ships will also accelerate American’s expansion into new niche markets such as the Great Lakes, the Arkansas River, and National Parks cruises.

Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals, Inc. (IRPT) and the European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP) announced on October 1 a transatlantic partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) focused on modernizing infrastructure, expanding commercial opportunities, and accelerating knowledge-sharing across the inland waterway freight network. The partnership is designed to strengthen collaboration between American and European inland ports and terminals, while expanding the commercial potential of port and terminal assets.

Cavotec has successfully delivered and commissioned three MoorMaster automated mooring systems at the Iroquois Lock in Ontario, Canada. The systems were officially handed over to the Saint Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) on June 30, 2025.With this latest installation, Cavotec’s MoorMaster systems support vessel transit at nearly all locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway, with only Lock 8 in the Welland Canal remaining to be equipped in 2026. The new systems at the Iroquois Lock will contribute to operational benefits…

HGK Shipping celebrated the naming ceremony for the gas tanker, “GAS 96”, in Rotterdam on October 9, 2025. This is the third gas tanker that combines optimization for operations in shallow waters with a diesel-electric “future-fuel-ready” drive system for Europe’s largest inland waterway shipping company.The “GAS 96” will operate on the Rhine routes between Rotterdam, Antwerp and Cologne with immediate effect and transport gases that have been liquefied under pressure for the chemicals group, LyondellBasell (LYB).

The US Coast Guard is moving forward with the acquisition of the new Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) class, designed to replace the legacy fleet of inland tenders and facilitate commerce vital to the nation’s economic security and strategic mobility.The service has ordered production of the first river buoy tender (WLR) and long lead time material (LLTM) for the second inland construction tender (WLIC), with construction to take place at Birdon America, Inc.’s shipyard in Bayou La Batre…

Low water levels following a drought and heatwave in western Europe are hindering traffic on the Rhine river in Germany after weekend rain caused only a moderate rise in water levels, commodity traders said on Monday.Low water is hampering shipping all along the river south of Duisburg and Cologne, including the chokepoint of Kaub, and vessels are generally only able to sail about half full.Shallow water means vessel operators impose surcharges on freight rates to compensate for vessels not sailing fully loaded…

A heat wave in western Europe has lowered water levels on Germany's Rhine River, hampering shipping and raising freight costs for cargo owners due to additional surcharges as their vessels were unable to sail fully loaded, commodity traders said on Monday.Low water has limited shipping on all of the river south of Duisburg and Cologne, including the chokepoint of Kaub, traders said.At Kaub, cargo vessels could only sail about 50% full, at Duisburg and Cologne between 40-50% full.Shallow water leads vessel operators to impose surcharges on freight rates to compensate for the vessels being unabl

Excitement continues to build for Smart Rivers 2025, an international event focused on innovation, infrastructure, and sustainability in inland waterway transport. Taking place in Memphis, Tennessee September 8-12, 2025, the conference will unite experts from around the world to address the most pressing challenges and forward-looking strategies in river navigation and management.Hosted by the United States section of the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC USA)…

On May 15, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Work Plan that allocated funds from the FY25 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act. That bill provided funding for the Corps’ Civil Works mission, typically funded in the annual Energy and Water Development appropriations bill.The Corps’ FY25 Work Plan provided nearly $200 million for inland waterways construction projects, of which nearly $50 million will come from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF).

Ingram Marine Group, the largest barge operator on the inland waterways, showcased its operations and planned investments in the bi-state St. Louis region during the opening session of FreightWeekSTL 2025. Hosted by the St. Louis Regional Freightway, the virtual panel session on June 2 featured Dan Lester, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Ingram Infrastructure Group (IIG), part of Ingram Marine Group’s family of businesses. Lester highlighted the company's strategic initiatives to leverage the St.

PALFINGER MARINE will deliver eight Stiff Boom Cranes PS 15500M for four inland navigation vessels to the Brazilian shipyard Estaleiro Rio Maguari (ERM). This contributes to the optimization of inland navigation in Latin America (LATAM) along the Paraguay-Paraná waterway. The cooperation between PALFINGER MARINE and ERM is part of a large-scale inland waterway transport project led by LHG Logística, the logistics arm of the Brazilian mining company LHG Mining. The project includes the construction of 400 barges and 15 pusher boats to support iron ore transport.In the future…

Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor celebrated the start of the 2025 international shipping season Friday with the arrival of the M.V. Pile, a bulk carrier owned and operated by Polish marine line Polsteam. The ship arrived safely at Indiana’s Lake Michigan port 19 days after departing from Port of Ijmuiden, Netherlands, and navigating the North Atlantic and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system.Burns Harbor Port Director Ryan McCoy presented Ports of Indiana’s “Steel Stein” to Captain Janusz Szatanik on board the Pile.

EST-Floattech was contracted by Electric Marine Support (EMS), a Dutch system integrator, to participate in projects for Rhenus and its fleet enhancement initiative. Rhenus PartnerShip, the shipping branch of the company, invested in sustainable inland waterway transportation with three new inland shipping combo vessels, Mannheim I+II, Wörth I+II and Ludwigshafen.Mannheim I+II and  Wörth I+II will sail with a hybrid propulsion systems: one diesel-electric vessel and one fuel-cell system inland waterway vessel.

Congressman James Comer (R-KY), Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was presented with Waterways Council, Inc.’s (WCI) 22nd Annual Leadership Service Award on February 5, 2025, for his championship of the nation’s inland waterways and support of the Kentucky Lock project. The award was presented at a Capitol Hill reception.“Congressman Comer has been a stalwart supporter of the modernization of the nation’s inland waterways, and particularly for the jobs the waterways help create and sustain in his district and in the state of Kentucky…

Surging water from the Mississippi River led to a 2023 barge strike on a gate at Algiers Lock in New Orleans, the National Transportation Safety Board has reported.On July 4, 2023, the towing vessel Kitty was pushing two loaded tank barges into the Algiers Lock during low water conditions. The tow surged within the lock chamber and the lead barge struck one of the lock gates. The contact did not result in any injuries or pollution. Damage to the lock gate was estimated at $2 million.Before the contact…

Navigation authorities will attempt to install a temporary lock system on the river Mosel in west Germany this weekend to enable the river, an important route for grains and rapeseed shipments to and from Germany and France, to reopen to cargo shipping.The river was closed to inland waterways shipping this week after an accident damaged a lock at Mueden south of Koblenz with repairs likely to last until late March.However, German navigation agency WSA said on Friday that it is preparing a temporary lock system which will be tested over the weekend. If successful, it is hoped the first trapped ships would be able to transit the temporary lock system on Monday.About 70 ships are blocked on the river…

This year, AWO marks its 80th anniversary as the tugboat, towboat and barge industry’s advocate, resource and united voice for safe, sustainable and efficient transportation on America’s waterways, oceans and coasts. As we celebrate this milestone, we not only recognize and reflect on 80 years of advocacy for our industry as a key driver of the U.S. economy, but also 80 years of vital work as a safety and sustainability leader and security partner – protecting mariners, communities and our waterways from harm.At a time when the men and women of America’s essential workforce…

American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) and C&C Marine and Repair have christened the M/V ACBL Mariner, said to be the most powerful and capable towboat ever built for operations on the Mississippi River.The christening ceremony took place in New Orleans in the presence of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.The ACBL Mariner boasts 11,000 horsepower, and can push up to 64 barges up the river at one time. The vessel is 50 ft wide and 250 ft long, making it the largest inland towboat in the United States.Also…

SEAFAR, a Belgian technology and service provider for remote-controlled inland waterway shipping operations, has set up the first Remote Operations Center in Germany; a project completed in conjunction with HGK Shipping and Reederei Deymann.The Remote Operations Center, opened on February 28, 2024, enables captains to navigate vessels on inland waterways from dry land, a development seen as central to stemming problems from the shortage of specialist workers. The partners are working with the public authorities to use the permits…

HGK Shipping ordered from De Gerlien van Tiem shipyard in Druten, Netherlands, a new, low-emission dry goods vessel, a vessel to be specially tailored to the requirements of Salzgitter Flachstahl. Equipped with a diesel-electric drive system and solar panels and designed to be “future-fuel-ready”, the new vessel is outfitted to make a contribution to the sustainability ambitions of HGK Shipping and Salzgitter AG. Once it goes into service, it will replace one of the three vessels from the existing fleet…

The 2022 Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS), scheduled to be held Nov. 15-17, 2022, hosted by Argonne National Laboratory at the Argonne campus in Lemont, Illinois, recently unveiled the full conference program, packed with experts with insights on the challenges facing the inland waterway systems.Click here to read the fulll program for MRS 2022MRS is an annual international event focused on risks involving the global maritime transportation system (MTS). For the MRS, the U.S. Coast Guard partners with the sponsor…

Inland maritime transportation systems (MTS) play major roles in domestic and international supply chains, with unique challenges related to upstream and downstream sources disruption, accessibility and shifts in commodities, as well as demand and supply imbalances. With a 20% on-time arrival statistic, the U.S. east coast serves as an example for the increasing appeal of inland waterways as a cost-effective, alternative, with Port of Cleveland traffic reportedly increasing 70% between 2020 and 2021.