Inland Port Magazine 2014 no 1

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Spotlight

2014 Issue I

Port of Kansas City River Core Sampling Waiting for WRRDA Port of Pittsburgh Profile Vessel Tracking Trends

Inland Port

2014 Issue I • Volume VI ISSN 2156-7611

www.inlandportmagazine.com @inlandportmag Published bimonthly by

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Revitalizing the Port of Kansas City

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Waiting for WRRDA

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Progressive Port is Pride of Pittsburgh

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10 Vessel-Tracking Trends for 2014

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Port of Cleveland Debuts Europe Express

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Port of Green Bay Ready for Growth

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IRPT Conference Set for St. Louis

Inland Port 2014 • Issue I

Exclusive Interview with Marissa Cleaver Wamble, Vice President of Corporate Communications

Guest column by Debra A. Colbert, Senior Vice President of Waterways Council, Inc.

Exclusive Interview with Jim McCarville, Executive Director

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By Dean Rosenberg, PortVision CEO

By William D. Friedman, President & CEO

By Aimee Andres, IRPT Administrative Coordinator

20 River Core Sampling and Sediment Profiles

By TetraTech’s Pat McQuire, PhD; Colin McGuire, Biologist; and Dave Richardson, Sr. Geomorphologist

23 News & Notes

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Revitalizing the Port of Kansas City 4

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2014 Issue I

W

ith expansive storage and multimodal distribution solutions for diverse cargoes, the Port of Kansas City is hoping to provide a critical link to America’s supply chain. The port, closed since 2007, is being reopened with improvements to its storage facilities, waterfront infrastructure and equipment.

The Port of Kansas City – Woodswether Terminal is located on the Missouri River at mile 367.1, less than a mile from downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

“The port authority is hoping to have freight movement during the upcoming shipping season. The plan is to revitalize commerce on the waterway,” said Marissa Cleaver Wamble, the port’s Vice President of Corporate Communications.

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The public port is administrated by the Port Authority and operated by private industry under a “concession” agreement. Financial incentives available at the property include use of Port Improvement District (PID) overlay, profit sharing opportunity with related partners, lease subsidy and flexible volume based tariff structure.

Inbound barge loads can be transloaded to trucks for local distribution and inbound truck loads can be transferred to barges for delivery to U.S. and global markets.

The Port Authority of Kansas City is also charged with the economic development and conversion of the 1,4000-acre Richards-Gebaur Commerce Park, located inlandportmagazine.com • @inlandportmag

in south Kansas City on the site of the former Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base.

The plan is to turn that site into an international trade-processing center. “One of our goals is to connect our port facility with the Richards-Gebaur intermodal hub,” said Wamble.

CenterPoint Properties, a seasoned intermodal developer with global experience, is the master developer for the site and plans to utilize the property for diverse uses including industrial, distribution, light manufacturing and warehouse.

The Port Authority oversees and manages 489,000 square feet of leased and industrial space at the site. Current tenants include DuraSeal, Schneider National, Metropolitan Community College, 5

Sealaska Constructors (Kingston Environmental) and PM Contracting.

Wamble outlined the port authority’s activities and plans in the following interview.

What is new at your facilities?

The Port Authority and its partners are finalizing resources related to a rail expansion project which will allow full utilization of the multimodal facility. We have removed a structurally unsound building, increasing our outside storage capacity by 30,000 square feet. We have also refurbished the conveying system to the 4,000-ton capacity dome. The 100-ton crane is now operational and meets FAA standards and the remaining warehouses are ready to receive cargo. In addition, our rail inspection has been completed and we are in Phase 1 of our rail project to reestablish rail service to the terminal.

What are your short and long-term expectations for growth? What specific steps will help you achieve these goals?

We expect to become operational this year

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with limited cargo goals set at 90K tons inbound and 50K outbound. This will give us a sound footing for annual growth, which we would expect to initially be 25 -30% over the next five years. Tonnage incentives from the state and capital support from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and city government will help us grow this business.

Tell us about the port’s management team and board.

The Port Department includes the VP of Port Operations and the Deputy Port Director. Our mayor-appointed Board of Commissioners is fully supportive of reopening the port. We are very fortunate to have a lot of great partners who have been critical in this process.

Which elements of social media do you utilize? How would you grade their effectiveness in achieving your desired goals?

We use Facebook and Twitter. We also send out a quarterly newsletter via email.

As we get closer to reopening the port, we hope to utilize these tools even more to

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bring awareness to the port.

Outline your security measures, both above and below the surface.

When operational, we plan to have controlled access, 24-hour video and perimeter security landside and waterside.

What sets your port apart from the rest?

We are one of the most centrally-located inland ports in the continental US, with connections with ALL the class 1 railroads and four interstate highways. Kansas City is also a major hub for manufacturing and freight distribution.

As more and more agricultural commodities are loaded in containers, we see an opportunity to provide shippers a “gulf option.” They can load their cargoes from one of the major gulf ports, either by bulk or bulk transfer at the gulf, or by loading containers in Kansas City and transporting to the gulf for trans-shipment. IP Contact Marissa Cleaver Wamble, Vice President, Corporate Communications, at mwamble@kcportauthority.com or visit www.kcportauthority.com.

2014 Issue I

Waiting for WRRDA

By Debra A. Colbert Senior Vice President, Waterways Council, Inc.

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he bill, which authorizes (but not appropriates) flood control, navigation, and environmental projects and studies by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has not been passed since 2007, when a veto of the bill by then-President George W. Bush was over-ridden.

This legislation is critical to the inland waterways and navigation, which is challenged by lock and dam infrastructure that operates well past its 50year economic design life span. The process to construct and maintain these structures is also victim to a cumbersome project delivery system that needs improvement.

The process to move a WRRDA bill in the 113th Congress has been commendable on many levels, especially given the current hostile, partisan climate on Capitol Hill. In a legislative twist, the Senate actually acted before the House of Representatives to move a strong bill last spring.

On May 15, the Senate, led by Environment & Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member David Vitter (RLA), passed a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), S. 601, by a strong vote of 83 to 14. WCI was especially grateful for inclusion of several provisions of the industry-supported RIVER (Reinvesting In Vital Economic Rivers and Waterways) Act, S. 407, introduced by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), and co-sponsored by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), and Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS).

The Senate WRDA bill contained critically important provisions to modernize inland waterways’ lock and dam infrastructure, including removing the over-budget and long-delayed Olmsted lock and dam project from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF), the remainder of the cost to be paid 100% by general treasury revenue and not costshared 50-50 through the IWTF. That action would free up around $750 million to the IWTF to complete critical priority navigation projects.

An increase in the threshold for major rehabilitation,

from the current $14 million to $20 million, was also approved. The Senate WRDA bill also called for prioritizing navigation projects and revamping project delivery processes to achieve on time and within budget performance. The prioritization metric is based upon risk of failure and benefits to the nation with an emphasis on finishing projects already underway and ensuring that funding is available to efficiently complete work. Ensuring that future Corps’ estimates for project costs have a confidence level of at least 80% was also included.

Mechanisms to increase funding for inland port dredging from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund were also passed in the Senate bill.

The House acted next, on October 23, passing its version, called the Water Resources Reform Development Act (WRRDA), H.R. 3080, by a very strong bipartisan vote of 417 to 3.

WCI commended the collaborative work of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, led by Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-WV), along with the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, led by Chairman Bob Gibbs (R-OH) and Ranking Member Tim Bishop (D-NY), to pass the bill.

Included in the House bill were portions of the industrysupported bill known as WAVE 4: Waterways Are Vital for the Economy, Energy, Efficiency and the Environment (H.R. 3080). Led by Reps. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), the bill has 30 other bi-partisan co-sponsors. WCI particularly appreciated this bill’s – like the Senate’s – recommendations to reform the Corps of Engineers’ process to deliver navigation projects on time and on budget. The House WRRDA reduced the amount to be paid from the IWTF to complete the Olmsted project from 50 percent to 25 percent of the project’s remaining construction costs.

WRRDA also increased the spending of monies from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for channel dredging and port modernization.

Not included in either bill is the industry-supported pro-

Some things in life are worth the wait, and as the inland waterways industry awaits a final Water Resources Reform Development Act (WRRDA), we expect this to be true.

2014 Issue I

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vision to increase the diesel fuel user fee to infuse more money into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, more likely to become part of tax reform or tax extenders legislation.

The Senate and House bills are now being negotiated in Conference and headway is being made toward a final bill. Even the President, in his January 28 State of the Union address urged completion of the bill, remarking, “Moreover, we can take the money we save from this transition to tax reform to create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports, unclogging our commutes – because in today’s global economy, first-class jobs gravitate to first-class infrastructure. We’ll need Congress to protect more than 3 million jobs by finishing transportation and waterways bills this summer. That can happen.”

Both versions will, indeed, create American jobs, increase exports, and keep our nation competitive in world markets.

WRRDA authorizes policy and projects, but the appropriators provide the funding. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 (Omnibus), passed at the end of January, provided a funding level of $5.467 billion, an increase of $748 million over the FY 2013 post-sequester enacted level for FY 2014 Energy & Water Development appropriations that fund the Corps’ Civil Works mission.

Within that budget, the Corps’ Construction General Account received $1.656 billion and provides $163 million for the Olmsted Lock and Dam project on the Ohio River. The legislation also established a cost-sharing formula for FY14 funds for Olmsted at 75% General Funds and 25% Inland Waterways Trust

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Funds (IWTF), similar to the House version of WRRDA. Other priority inland construction projects received funding at the President’s requested level: $1.96 million for the Lower Mon 2, 3, 4 project in Pittsburgh, PA; and $11.4 million for Major Rehabilitation at the Lockport project in Lockport, IL. An allocation of $81.5 million in undesignated funding for inland navigation projects, and an authorization for up to four new starts from inland navigation, flood control and storm damage prevention, and ecosystem restoration programs, was also welcome news.

The omnibus legislation also significantly increased spending for critical port and navigation channel improvements, providing $1 billion from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. In addition to specific project allocations, the bill also provided $47 million in additional funds to navigation construction; $27 million added for navigation Operations & Maintenance (O&M); $128 million in additional O&M funds for deep draft ports and an additional $42 million for inland ports; additional $40 million for small ports O&M; and additional dredging funds of $5 million for Mississippi River Tributaries (MRT).

U.S. waterways and ports facilitate America’s prosperity through exports, jobs, access to world markets, and competitive advantage. Between the appropriations front and strong policy change authorizations to be accomplished through a final WRRDA bill, things are finally looking up for our nation’s inland waterways and perhaps, worth waiting for after all. IP For more, viisit www.waterwayscouncil.org.

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2014 Issue I

progressive

PORT

PRIDE PITTSBURGH is

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The Port of Pittsburgh’s goal is to promote the commercial development of the inland waterway-intermodal transportation system and to integrate that system into the economic, recreational, environmental and intermodal future of the residents and industries of southwestern Pennsylvania. Under the leadership of Executive Director Jim McCarville and a stellar board of commissioners, it has done just that. In this exclusive IP interview, McCarville brings us up to date on what this vital port district is up to in 2014.

2014 Issue I

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2014 Issue I

pride of PITTSBURGH

Give our readers a brief history of the Port of Pittsburgh. How has your facility changed over time?

Pittsburgh was a port long before there was a port commission. The first locks and dams were privately built for the steel industry, but that model was not successful for a national system. The low cost transportation attracted not only steel, but coal, chemicals and building materials. As the steel industry declined, coal shipments increased with the blending required under the clean air act.

More recently there have been declines in coal shipments. As coal is declining, the system is once again being transformed by shipments related to natural gas fracturing including frac-sand, frac-water, transmission piping and possibly the natural gas itself as cargo and as a towboat fuel. In each of these transformations, it has been the private sector that has led the way. The commission itself does not own or operate facilities, but rather acts as a maritime chamber of commerce, economic development agency and technological innovator.

What is new at your facilities? Any new tenants, equipment, or infrastructure to let the industry know about?

CSX is building a major intermodal yard in the port. Shell has proposed and has under study a $5 billion cracker facility. If built, it would lead to a major industrial expansion among many related industries. Even if it is not built, many smaller natural gas related industries are being built.

How important are intermodal facilities to your business?

Intermodal barging is a big part of our strategic advantage. Most barge cargo moves intermodally, either with trucks or trains. Since some of our river terminals can only be supplied by barge, the intermodal facilities allow certain cargoes, such as Montana coal, to be trained to select intermodal port facilities and then by barge distributed to others.

What are your short and long-term expectations for growth? What specific steps will help you achieve these goals?

First, we have built a 100-mile broadband communications network infrastructure and an interoperability test bed to bring new technologies to the inland river transportation. This will greatly increase intermodal efficiency in the scheduling of gangs, trucks and trains to meet incoming barges. It will enable real-time monitoring of towing equipment, technologies for realtime river depth information, and many other strategic information advantages for towers, ports and government agencies on the river.

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We Handle It With years of experience in distribution planning, the Three Rivers team does far more than load, off-load, and transfer.

We develop customized logistics solutions, recommending a combination of services to maximize efficiencies and control costs. With the use of our barge loading facilities, barge off-loading systems, on-site rail car handling and a fleet of trucks standing ready, Three Rivers will be the strategic partner you need to help determine your best options and to deliver beyond your expectations.

TRANSLOADING CONTRACT PACKAGING TRUCKING LANDSCAPE PRODUCTS ICE MELT

THREE RIVERS 3riversmarineandrail.com

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marine & rail terminals

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pride of PITTSBURGH

We have also initiated a conceptual study to develop a maritime natural gas corridor along the Upper Ohio River. We are bringing together LNG suppliers, marine architects and towing industry executives to develop a comprehensive approach to solve the problem.

Tell us about the port’s management team and board. What are your strengths?

Where do you want to improve?

The Port of Pittsburgh is managed by a very active commission of 15 members, appointed by the Governor and the Legislative Caucuses, and a staff of five. Because we do not own or operate river facilities, it allows us to focus on issues that affect the port as a whole, including legislative advocacy, funding for infrastructure, economic development and advanced communication networks.

Which elements of social media do you utilize? How would you grade their effectiveness in achieving your desired goals for these types of online presence?

We use Facebook, Twitter, and Linked-In. While our impact through these is still relatively small, it is growing and it allows us to reach audiences that would not otherwise be attuned to port related matters.

How secure is your port? Outline your security measures, both above and below the surface.

We have worked closely with the US Coast Guard and the Area Maritime Security Committee in addressing port security needs, including be named as the Harbor Safety Committee of the Year not long ago.

We are now working with our private partners and through our broadband network, to link various campus facility camera networks into a single system for security purposed.

What sets your port facilities apart from the rest?

Pittsburgh has a long tradition of cooperation among terminals, with government and with trading partners. The Port of Pittsburgh Commission has been able to leverage that cooperation, along with academic institutions, to explore new markets and technologies that can benefit the port as a whole.

Tell us about the Wireless Waterway concept.

The river transportation system operates with a big disadvantage. We estimate that about 70% of the system is either in a river valley, a rural area or a low-income area underserved by broadband communications.

The Port of Pittsburgh Commission has undertaken the aforementioned broadband

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2014 Issue I

pride of PITTSBURGH

communication network project which we call the Wireless Waterway.

It is actually a combination of wired, wireless and microwave communications that holds the promise to transform the efficiency of our river transportation system.

To be truly effective, however, it needs to be built as a national system. We are looking for partners along the river that are interested in working with us to transform the pieces they may or may not have already built locally into the national system.

To carry this out, the Port of Pittsburgh Commission has created a Non-Profit subsidiary, Pittsburgh Port Technology, Inc. (PPTi) to work with other ports, terminals river associations, towing lines and other entities along the river that could benefit from the advanced communication technologies most industries take for granted. IP

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10Trends VesselTracking for

By Dean Rosenberg, PortVision CEO TREND #1: Improving real-time visibility and decision-making.

Advances in Automatic Identification System (AIS)-based vesseltracking tools and technology will deliver new capabilities, moving the industry beyond simple “points on a map” that need to be manually aggregated and analyzed, to on-demand and immediately actionable business insights and intelligence. The coming generation of tools will give waterway users real-time answers to a variety of critical business process-optimization questions regarding each mile-marker, terminal, berth, anchorage and buoy.

TREND #2: Improving marine terminal efficiencies. The world’s largest oil companies are placing growing importance on optimizing marine operations in the petrochemical supply chain using a

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new category of terminal management software that integrates dock management, scheduling, reporting and analytics with AIS-based vessel tracking services. These tools are bringing enterprise-class efficiency to marine terminal operations while providing continuous visibility to all dock and vessel activities, enabling senior management to cut costs and labor requirements, optimize the supply chain, and drive better business decisions.

TREND #3: Handling the flood of waterway traffic hitting the U.S. Gulf Coast. The recent flood of crude oil shipments from new finds in the Dakotas, West Texas, Mexico and other locations will continue to put the spotlight on marine transportation efficiency and how to streamline operations, reduce costs, increase visibility and enhance busi-

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2014 Issue I

ness intelligence. Today’s enterprise tools with dock and jetty scheduling and optimization capabilities are contributing to significant increases in vessel traffic-handling capacity, enabling the marine transportation infrastructure to meet an unprecedented increase in volume demands.

TREND #4: Controlling demurrage costs. Always important, effective demurrage management has become increasingly significant given the scarcity of Jones Act vessels available to ship oil and refined products between U.S. ports. Tanker rates have soared, and there is an increased focus on minimizing demurrage costs for Jones Act vessels, which is significantly easier to accomplish with the advent of AIS-based vessel-monitoring services and tools with a proven track record in this application.

TREND #5: Collaborating to improve data accuracy and decisionmaking. Controlling costs related to transporting petroleum between marine terminals involves a number of dynamic and diverse factors.

This is important across all segments of the marine transportation industry, but can be an especially high-stakes endeavor for traders, who frequently rely most heavily on often-imprecise anecdotal and per-barrel costs for their trading decisions. There is a growing trend to cross-organizational collaboration as a more accurate way to gather and quantify transportation costs. This requires tools that allow all departments involved with cost collection to share information, whether about capital projects along the waterway or extended dock outages at public terminals that consistently increase travel time and transportation efficiency.

TREND #6: Simplifying vessel “fit” management. Configuration data is critical in vessel evaluation -- each terminal has unique restrictions, and all relevant ship characteristics must be compared with current terminal condition and restrictions. This has traditionally created a complex decision matrix when scheduling dock jobs, but the industry is now moving to enterprise terminal management tools that streamline the dock scheduling process while making it easier to match existing ship and cargo characteristics with the terminal’s dock restrictions, warn schedulers when there is a dock fit conflict, and support all key processes associated with dock fit, dock scheduling, and dock activity logging.

TREND #7: Strengthening industry’s focus on safety. With the goal of improving safety and environmental protection standards, the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), through its Marine Terminal Management and Self Assessment (MTMSA) guide, has established standardized Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and best practices that terminal operators and their service providers can use to assess management system effectiveness for berth operations and the ship-to-shore interface. Major oil companies are increasingly using these guidelines to evaluate terminals. The latest terminal enterprise software suites simplify compliance, enabling terminal operators to monitor and assess fleet-related TMSA KPIs that involve high levels of data integration, a collaborative approach to managing voyages, and the ability to move information across departments. These tools can also be used for other safety initiatives, including alerting terminal dock construction teams when commercial vessel traffic approaches, or alerting vessels in designated pipeline monitoring zones so they can avoid any contact with the bottom.

TREND #8: Supporting sustainability initiatives. AIS data is emerging as an ideal tool in a number of sustainability initiatives. For instance, it is being used to determine and monitoring participation in voluntary vessel speed reduction (VSR) initiatives that have significantly cut emissions at major ports and waterways. Another example is the OCIMF’s proposal to reduce carbon emissions through “virtual tendering,” rather than allowing vessels to run at full sea speed toward the load/discharge 2014 Issue I

port within the laycan and then sit there for several days. Instead, terminals would identify a vessel’s available berthing time well before arrival. The vessel would then slow to accommodate jetty availability, but would be allowed to log arrival time as though she had proceeded at charter speed. AIS-based tools can make this possible by accurately predict arrival times given weather conditions and other external factors, and helping manage subsequent vessel scheduling in a manner flexible enough to support berthing upon arrival.

TREND #9: Moving AIS into new marine transportation applications. We will also see AIS-based tools taking on new roles. One potential area is aids to navigation (ATON), which typically means lighthouses, buoys and beacons but can also extend to AIS data as a “virtual ATON.” Using AIS, an authority can transmit navigation information where no physical ATON exists, by sending addressed messages to a specific wheelhouse. AIS safety-related messages can also be broadcasted to all vessels within range of the broadcasting base station. While a new concept, AIS-based virtual ATONs have been used in several applications within U.S. waters including broadcasting weather and sea state information, and notifying mariners regarding area whale migration activity. We expect to see more in the future.

TREND #10: Averting disaster. The industry is moving to a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to incident management by taking advantage of AIS data. Viewpoints and understanding of AIS data were previously very limited in the spill and incident response world.

However, plotting real time vessel positions, alone, can provide immediate visibility to key vessel information. As AIS and other asset tracking capabilities become an integral part of incident response plans and are regularly exercised, the industry will see a significant return on investment. IP

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Port of Cleveland Debuts Europe Express

AWO’s Jennifer Carpenter Promoted to Executive Vice President

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he American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, has promoted Jennifer Carpenter, from Senior Vice President – National Advocacy to the new position of Executive Vice President.

“Jennifer’s promotion to Executive Vice President is richly deserved and fully earned,” said AWO President & CEO, Tom Allegretti. “She has demonstrated consistently over many years her broad and deep knowledge of our industry and her mastery of the public policy challenges facing AWO members. Her reputation as our industry’s most effective advocate is impeccable. Jennifer is highly respected in the American maritime industry, by members of Congress and senior government officials, and most importantly, by AWO members.”

Carpenter was one of the original members of Inland Port Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board, and we congratulate her on this new post.

“Due in no small part to Jennifer’s contributions over the last two decades, AWO has become a recognized safety leader and a more effective advocacy organization,” Allegretti said. “The public policy challenges facing our industry have never been greater. In this new role, I am confident that Jennifer will expand her already considerable contributions to AWO and will continue to lead us to even greater levels of achievement. Her expanded responsibilities in this new position will serve AWO members very well.”

For more information about AWO, visit www. americanwaterways.com. IP 16

By William D. Friedman, President & CEO

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e expect April 9th to be a historic day for the Port of Cleveland and for shipping and logistics in the Midwest. That’s when the inaugural voyage of the Cleveland – Europe Express will dock at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and introduce a reliable way of moving goods from our region as the Great Lake’s only regularly scheduled express liner service to Europe.

Two days later, the ship will be off to Antwerp, Belgium to complete the Express’ first round trip and begin providing what should be major benefits to the region. We expect up to 400,000 additional tons of cargo to travel through our port, representing roughly 10-15% of Ohio’s European trade.

The liner service is a centerpiece of our continued efforts to evolve the port to serve the 21st Century needs of Northeast Ohio’s business community, helping our region compete globally and positioning our service portfolio to act as a key economic driver.

We are seeing success in our goals – last year, we experienced a 20% increase in the volume of tonnage shipped through our facilities. We attribute this major bump partly to our on-site investments, such as our rail loop, which helped more than double the amount of goods shipped by rail out of the port in 2013.

Above all, we see the increase in volume as a testament to our spirit of partnership with local businesses, taking stock of their needs, and evolving our model to link them to an ever-evolving global economy.

The port understands that Cleveland is a player in the global economy, and regional demand exists for shipping options to reach markets around the world.

We know from our research that goods made here are used everywhere – people might not realize that Cleveland businesses are even shipping consumer goods for use in China. As the nation’s economy has gradually ramped up, we have seen the numbers demonstrate our local economy’s resiliency and continued capacity in manufacturing.

The liner service is a major investment by the port, and a strategic bet on Cleveland’s future. We believe that our local businesses are strong, that unmet demand exists, and that we can free businesses from relying on East Coast ports, cutting time, expenses, and logistical headaches. The Express also meets our goal of promoting green, sustainable practices—shipping is the most fuel-efficient method to move goods, and shaves days off travel.

This time next year, we hope to report on the progress we’ve made increasing cargo volumes and efficiencies, and continuing to reach new markets. We aspire to be a dynamic agent in Greater Cleveland’s economy through our continued efforts in development finance, environmental stewardship, and partnering to create a vibrant waterfront. Our focus on innovation within our core maritime operations is critical to our strategy. IP

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2014 Issue I

Port of Green Bay Ready for Growth T

he Port of Green Bay is ready and has room for new business.

A new Port Opportunities Study, completed by the Brown County Planning Commission, has identified several properties along the Fox River that are best suited for port-related use. The study also identified other opportunities the Port can capitalize on such as its designation as a Foreign Trade Zone.

“The use of the waterfront has changed over the last 25 years,” said Dean Haen, Director of Port and Resource Recovery for Brown County. “This plan was developed to identify areas that would be best suited for port development while taking into consideration Green Bay’s and Brown County’s comprehensive plans and the waterfront redevelopment efforts.”

Haen says the port has always had a strong impact on the regional economy. “Expanding port operations is beneficial for the area,” Haen said. “It means increased employment opportunities, tax revenues for the County and an overall positive contribution to Northeast Wisconsin’s economy.”

Haen says the study will be an important tool as they speak to potential new businesses and current terminal operators looking to expand their operations.

“We are very fortunate to be able to offer marine transportation as a viable option to businesses,” Haen said. “Our strategic location on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway means the Port is a direct connection for businesses looking to import and 2014 Issue I

export materials to the rest of the world. We have a lot to offer and the study will help us highlight those areas.”

For more information on the Port, visit www.portofgreenbay. com or Twitter @PortofGreenBay.

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IRPT Conference Set for St. Louis

Liebherr Maritime Cranes Boost Scrap Handling Capacity in Amsterdam

By Aimee Andres IRPT Administrative Coordinator

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nland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT) has been very busy this year so far with the Ohio River, Upper Mississippi and Missouri River Basin meetings. We appreciate the opportunity to gather as an industry to get to know each other and hear industry concerns. We are excited to continue that effort with the Illinois, Lower Mississippi and Southeast River Basins. As a result of the meetings thus far, IRPT participaed in a joint meeting regarding the Missouri River and a dredging focus group.

The 2014 Annual Conference, scheduled for April 29-May 1 in St. Louis, is shaping up to be a huge one for the river industry, as we have a great lineup of topics and speakers. IRPT is excited to be a part of The Inland Marine Expo this year, and we are offering many opportunities for social networking on the trade show floor. Special thanks to all our sponsors who have helped make this event the best yet in IRPT history.

Monday of conference week will begin with a golf tournament at Gateway National Golf Links in Madison, IL. Tuesday will be the IRPT Board meeting, General Membership meeting and Basin Breakout meetings, before the official start of the conference at the Kickoff Luncheon beginning at noon.

Wednesday is packed with key industry content, including MRCTI and St. Louis Port Working Group, and an Awards Ceremony. IRPT is excited to welcome our Keynote Speaker, Chip Jaenichen, Maritime Administrator, during the Wednesday luncheon. IP

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aja Stuwadoors Group B.V. is well-known for valuable expertise in loading and unloading of bulk goods, operating a fleet of seven floating cranes in various ports. In view of increasing business, the company recently opted for its first Liebherr mobile harbor crane, type LHM 550, to upgrade its facilities. Providing a maximum lifting capacity of 124 tons and an outreach of up to 48m, the crane is equipped with two winches for highly efficient scrap handling. In four-rope grab operation the maximum lifting capacity is 75 tonnes and more than 40 tonnes at 43 metres outreach.

In Amsterdam, a major client for Maja is ALBA Group, a provider of environmental services and raw materials.

ALBA recently opened a new export terminal in Amsterdam and trusts in Maja’s long-term experience. Due to the flexibility of the new Liebherr machine, Maja is capable of successfully completing all cargo handling tasks ALBA requires.

ALBA, Maja and Liebherr are family-owned companies, each with decades of experience in their businesses.

“The LHM 550 significantly increases our scrap handling capacity. Moreover, our portfolio comprises many other materials and thanks to its flexibility the new machine can be operated wherever it is required, especially in peak times. For that reason, our customers will also strongly benefit from this investment,” said Arie Holleman, director at Maja Stuwadoors. IP

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2014 Issue I

River Core Sampling and Sediment Profiles Scientists and environmental engineers collect sediment samples to support applied investigations. Sediment profiles in rivers, lakes, and oceans are dredged and evaluated to establish the origin and time sequence of sediment layers (e.g. geologic formation interpretation), characterize watershed processes (e.g. non-point source sediment and nutrient runoff ), support ecological studies (e.g. fish habitat sedimentation), and provide data for sediment contamination investigations. Past contamination of rivers and harbors are now requiring investigations to characterize and remediate the affected areas.

The Authors Pat McGuire PhD

Senior Soil Scientist, Tetra Tech

Colin McGuire

Biologist, Tetra Tech

Dave Richardson

Senior Geomorphologist, Tetra Tech

Figure 1

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C

ore sediment sampling is a common method used to collect sediment samples for contaminant investigations. The methods for contaminant investigations discussed here include hand or power assisted core samplers that are typically used in inland waters. Core sediment samplers are used because they provide a means to obtain a sediment profile with reasonable expenditure of labor and sampling equipment.

Core sampling is based on vertical advancement of a core tube (plastic or aluminum) into the sediment with corresponding progression of the sediment through the open core face and upward through the core tube. The core tube with sediment is subsequently opened and analyzed. The objective of core sampling is to obtain a sample for each location that represents the in situ sediment profile.

A representative sediment profile is required for contamination investigations to obtain valid descriptions for spatial correlation of sediment layers and contaminant distribution.

The spatial (three dimensional) contaminant distribution is typically based on laboratory analysis of core sample intervals (e.g. 6- inch interval concentration data) that correspond to horizontal and vertical coordinates using Global Positioning System Technology. This spatial data is the basis for planning and design of remediation actions including sediment dredging.

Core samplers that are typically used to characterize sediment are shown in Figure 1. Core sampler types that are designed for shallow penetration depths of 0 to 4 feet include the core barrel sampler and check valve sampler (core barrel with check valve head to produce vacuum and retain sediment during retrieval). A piston sampler includes a piston within the core tube to develop suction during sampler advancement and induce sediment recovery. The piston sampler may perform at penetration depths greater than 4 feet but typically less than 10 feet depending on sediment characteristics. Core samplers that are designed for sediment penetration depths greater than 10 feet include the vibracore and sonic samplers. These core samplers use mechanisms to vibrate the core tube during advancement to induce recovery.

The need for representative sediment data is critical for sediment contamination investigations because the data is used for risk analysis (human and wildlife), remediation ac-

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2014 Issue I

tion planning (e.g. alternatives selection), and remediation action design and implementation. Sediment sampling data is used to characterize contaminant spatial distribution and depth of contamination (DOC).

Often the sediment sampling data is used as input to a geospatial model that interpolates the three-dimensional remedial action area boundaries. Likewise, the sampling data and/or geospatial model output is used to select and design remedial actions. The process for the design and remedial action work, all of which is based on sampling data, can result in the expenditure of millions of dollars per project.

Therefore, sampling data that reasonably represent in situ sediment conditions are required to plan and effectively design remediation projects. Core samplers are not always capable of producing undisturbed sediment samples that are representative of in situ profiles. Therefore, an understanding of core sampler capability and methods to verify sediment profile characterization are required to interpret data (e.g. DOC determination).

The presence of post-dredge sediment contamination from inadequate sampling performance and/or misinterpretation of sampling data may be falsely attributed to dredging method or performance. Misinterpretation of sampling data may significantly affect the outcome and cost of a project. The actual DOC may be underestimated or overestimated resulting in remedial actions that do not address actual conditions. Contamination may not be mitigated if the DOC is underestimated. Remediation costs may be greater if the DOC is initially underestimated and detection from post-dredge verification sampling or later toxicity monitoring to assess the impact of remediation actions on biological systems (e.g. fish, human) require further action (e.g. additional dredging).

CORE SAMPLER MECHANICS AND PERFORMANCE Sediment sampling by advancing a core into the sediment can be problematic because percent recovery ([recovered core sediment length/core tube advancement length] x 100) may be diminished during core advancement. Sediment loss occurs when sediment bypasses the advancing core tube. Core samplers may be subject to partial or complete bypass as sediment moves upward through the core barrel and friction forces impose a stress at the core face that exceed the sediment strength as shown in Figure 2. Piston core samplers were designed to counteract the sediment core barrel friction force by inducing a negative force (suction) in the core barrel during advancement. Vibracore and sonic rig samplers were designed to reduce the sediment core barrel friction force with vibrations.

Obtaining core sample data that represent in situ conditions is a challenge due to the many variables that may influence sampling.

Core samples subject to bypass are dependent on sampling mechanics and sediment material characteristics. Total bypass of a sediment interval results in loss of the sediment interval from the core. Partial bypass results in collection of a portion of the sediment interval, which is represented by reduced thickness in the core for the affected interval (thinning) as compared to the corresponding in situ interval. Other terms that are often used in the published literature that are synonymous with sediment bypass include plugging and rodding. Core shortening is the term often used in the published literature for the observed shortened core from diminished recovery. Prior to published investigations, core shortening was often attributed to compaction or rearrangement of sediment particles due to compressive force resulting from friction between the interface of the core tube and sediment during core advancement.

Guidance documents (ASTM D4823, 2008) on core sampling and studies conducted to understand the process demonstrate that sediment bypass (full or partial) is the predominant cause of core shortening (Blomqvist 1985; Blomquist 1991; Crusius and Anderson 1991; Lebel et al. 1982; Skinner and McCave 2003; Zeng et al. 2002) for inorganic sediment and not compaction through compressive force. That is, core shortening is typically associated with diminished sediment sample recovery and not compression of a complete or fully captured core 2014 Issue I

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Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

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sample. Complete or partial bypass may occur during core sample advancement which distorts the sediment profile as shown in Figure 3. Core shortening typically occurs only within specific intervals or systematically increases with advancement depth as shown in Figure 4 (Morton and White 1997).

SEDIMENT PROFILE VERIFICATION Core shortening from diminished recovery is problematic for sediment profile interpretations, including DOC determination because depth to depth relationships (core vs. actual in-situ) are distorted (Baxter et al. 1981, Morton and White 1997). Therefore, an understanding of sampler capability and verification of sampler performance are necessary.

A discrete interval sampler is designed to collect sediment samples from specific sample intervals of 1.5 feet or less. The discrete interval sampler, particularly those that do not collect sediment by forcing material through a core face during advancement, are typically not subject to profile distortion. The disadvantage of a discrete interval sampler is that for each sample only 1.5 feet or less of the sediment profile is obtained. Therefore, discrete interval sampling is not an efficient method to collect or characterize sediment profiles. Core samplers are typically used for production sampling to efficiently characterize sediment profiles. A discrete interval sampler can be used initially to determine the most effective core sampler(s) for existing site conditions as shown in Figure 5 and the possible sediment characterization precision (e.g. DOC) of the core sampler. During project sediment sampling, a discrete interval sampler can be used to verify the performance of the core sampler by comparing sediment characteristics (e.g. DOC) of core samples and discrete interval samples.

SUMMARY Misinterpretation of sampling data may significantly affect the outcome and cost of a project. The presence of post-dredge sediment contamination from inadequate sampling performance and/or misinterpretation of sampling data may falsely be attributed to dredging method or performance. Selection of core sampler(s) based on performance for site conditions and verification of sampler performance throughout the sampling program provides reliable data to design and implement cost effective remediation measures. Performance based sampling and a quality control program can potentially prevent additional future work (e.g. sampling, design, dredging). IP This article was originally presented at PIANC USA 2012. For more information, visit Tetra Tech (Sheboygan, Wisconsin) at www.tetratech.com or email Pat McGuire at pat.mcguire@tetratech.com.

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Figure 5

REFERENCES

• ASTM Int. (2008). Standard Guide for Core Sampling Submerged, Unconsolidated Sediments. Annual book of standards, D 4823, West Conshohocken, Pa. • Baxter, M. et al. (1981).Evidence of the unsuitability of gravity coring for collecting sediment in pollution and sedimentation rate studies. American Chemical Society, vol. 15, No. 7, 843-846.

• Blomqvist, S. (1991). Quantitative sampling of soft-bottom sediments: problems and solutions. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. Vol. 72, 295-304.

• Blomqvist, S. (1985). Reliability of core sampling of soft bottom sediment- an in situ study. Sedimentology 32, 605-612.

• Crusius, J. and Anderson, R. (1991). Core Compression and surficial sediment loss of lake sediments of high porosity caused by gravity coring. Limnol. Oceanogy., 36(5), 1021-1031.

• Lebel, J., Silverberg, N., and Sundby, B. (1982). Gravity core shortening and pore water chemical gradients. Deep-Sea Research, Vol. 29, No. 11A, 1365-1372.

• Morton, R. and White, W. (1997). Characteristics of and corrections for core shortening in unconsolidated sediments. Journal of Coastal Research, vol. 13, No. 3, 761-769.

• Skinner, L. and McCave, I. (2003). Analysis and modeling of gravity- and piston Coring based on soil mechanics. Marine Geology 199, 181-204.

• Zheng, G., Takona, B., Matsuo, M. and Tanaka, Y. (2002). Compaction of modern soft sediments during core sampling- An in situ investigation at an estuary site. Env. Geo. Vol. 9, No. 3, 109-114.

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2014 Issue I

New Barge Fleeting Terminal for Port of Victoria

New Stationary Mount Loaders from Rotobec Rotobec’s new line of stationary mount loaders were built with the knowledge and expertise from years of industry leading design in truck-mounted loaders and attachments. Rotobec now offers five models of stationary mount to fit your application: Elite SM, Horizon SM, Optimax SM, Evolution SM and Titan SM. Rotobec stationary mount loaders are ideal for various applications including, mill yards, waste transfer stations, rock quarries, scrap yards and handling bulk materials.

The new Rotobec stationary mount loaders are fully customizable to suite your specific needs. For more information on the Rotobec stationary mount loaders, contact your local Rotobec sales representative. IP

On January 6, 2014, construction began on a new barge fleeting terminal in Victoria, Texas. The development of the fleet is a public/private partnership between the Port of Victoria and Victoria Fleet, LLC, an affiliate of Devall Towing & Boat Services of Hackberry, LLC. The fleet was designed by Urban Engineering, with construction contracted to Affolter Contracting Company, and will be operated and managed by Victoria Fleet.

Once the project is completed in July, 50 inland barges will be able to dock along the fleet, which will have approximately 1,800 feet of frontage, and 500 feet of depth dredged to a depth of 12 feet. The new fleet, a secured area in accordance with United States Coast Guard regulations, will offer barge fleeting services, shifting, and inland boat support.

“We are excited about working with the Port of Victoria on this project, and look forward to a long-standing relationship with the Victoria community,” said Matt Devall, Chief Financial Officer of Devall Towing.

Devall Towing was started in 1952 as an oilfield support boat company that operated three wooden hull vessels. Today, Devall Towing and its subsidiaries and affiliates own and operate over 30 inland pushboats, over 70 double hulled chemical barges, and provide diesel/mechanic services in and around Gulf Intracoastal Waterways.

An affiliate of Devall Towing, Devall Enterprises, has maintained a similar partnership with the public port, the West Calcasieu Port, for over 30 years. Earlier this year, Devall Enterprises provided the port with $640,000 to construct an 80,000 pound capacity barge loading ramp. IP

BARGES: The Greener Way to Go Inland barges produce less carbon dioxide while moving America’s important cargoes.

Inland barge transportation has the lowest carbon footprint of the other major modes. Moving identical amounts of cargo by rail generates 30% more carbon dioxide than by barge, and 1,000% more emissions by trucks than by barge. Learn more at www.nationalwaterwaysfoundation.org.

Waterways Council, Inc.

801 N. Quincy St., Suite 200 | Arlington, Virginia 22203 703-224-8007 | www.waterwayscouncil.org 2014 Issue I

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Bruce Oakley Acquires Johnston’s Port 33

B

ruce Oakley, Inc. recently purchased Johnston’s Port 33, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of W.B. Johnston Grain Company of Enid, OK. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Johnston’s Port 33, Inc. was founded by Lew Meibergen in the early 1980s. Meibergen, along with his son Butch and grandson Joey, expanded the scope and size of business to include storage and handling of dry bulk commodities such as fertilizer, pig iron, coal and petroleum products. JP33 operates four ports (two owned and two managed) on the Arkansas and Lower Mississippi Rivers. Johnston has gained a strong reputation for its efficient port operations and management, including its General Manager, Steve Taylor, and his family members Fred, Larry and Josh, all of whom will be remaining with the business. Lew Meibergen will remain as consultant.

Bruce Oakley, Inc. is headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Led by Dennis Oakley and his family, it has grown into a diversified bulk commodity sales and transportation company serving customers domestically and abroad. IP

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PNWA Mourns Gerald Druffel

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erald Druffel served on the commission of the Port of Whitman County for 18 years and was a strong supporter of Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA).

We are so grateful for his service and our thoughts are with his family.

Gerald (Jerry) Druffel was born in 1922, to Frank B. and Lena (Busch) Druffel in Colton. His siblings were LeRoy, Isabell, Ilean and Thelma, and Juanita (Busch) Kinzer, who also lived with the family. He was raised in the Bald Butte area and attended a one-room schoolhouse known as the Bald Butte School.Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1942 as a glider pilot and then advanced to the calibration and maintenance section for the Norden Bombsight for the Minneapolis-Honeywell autopilot. In 1945, the final year of World War II, Jerry was in England and returned to the USA on Dec. 20, 1945, on the ship Queen Elizabeth I. He resumed his farming and home construction jobs upon his return. Jerry married Carol Schlee on June 2, 1947, and the couple made their home in the 1876 Schlee Homestead in Uniontown. Along with farming, ranching and general upkeep of the homestead, they also managed to raise four children, Lee, Laurel, Lynn and Lisa.

In addition to serving on the Port Commission, Jerry was passionate about civic affairs, and was involved with the school board, Uniontown Co-Op, St. Boniface Church, Lewiston Tribune Advisory Board, and Whitman County Planning Commission. His family shared that Jerry always kept himself busy with his wood shop projects, and many homes on the Palouse and beyond are furnished with at least one of his creations. He had a marvelous imagination and attention to detail in his works of art. He also enjoyed bowling, golf and traveling. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to improve the environment or architecture in the area.

Jerry passed away Feb. 1, 2014, and is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. The family suggests any memorials be given to the St. Boniface Parish endowment fund for the preservation of the church building or to the American Legion Post No. 128, c/o Wesley Patterson, P.O. Box 9, Colton, WA 99113, for the U.S. flag fund for the Legion Memorial Park in Colton. IP

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2014 Issue I