Capsule News Summary For January 17–23, 2005:
Nothing is ever certain when it comes to the towing industry, but many involved in the industry are certain of one thing when it comes to the beginning of 2005: Mother Nature has not been favorable.
Continuous rain showers throughout the country have made for treacherous conditions on several waterways, most notably the Ohio River. As the industry copes with unseasonably high waters, there is optimism that the year will be a success with the growing economy. With several years of declining tonnages, many are looking at 2005 as the end of the trend.
Mark Knoy, president and chief executive officer of AEP/Memco, St. Louis, said the year 2005 looks promising for his company. As with anything, Knoy said it is hard to make predictions, but he remains hopeful on the year's outlook.
"We are getting off to a terrible start with Mother Nature," he said. "We are optimistic, I would even say, bullish, with the general economy doing well and a strong demand for steel, agricultural products, construction materials, export coal and utility coal. We think the estimations of shrinkage of the existing barge fleet will hold true."…
A series of storms has pounded the Ohio River valley in the early weeks of 2005, sending the river over its banks and leading to accidents along the entire 1,000-mile length of the river.
The worst accident occurred in the early morning hours of January 9, when the towboat Elizabeth M, northbound with six coal loads, lost its tow exiting Montgomery Locks at Mile 31.7. The towboat drifted back into the dam and went through the gates, sinking just below the dam. Three of the vessel's crew members were killed in the accident and a fourth was missing.
According to media reports, the crewmen killed were Ed Crevda, 22, West Brownsville, Pa.; Tom Fisher, 25, New Cumberland, W.Va.; and Scott Stewart, 36, Wheeling, W.Va. Ron Conklin, 40, of Crucible, Pa., was still missing late last week and presumed dead. Three other crew members were rescued when the towboats Lillian G, Sandy Drake and Rocket responded to distress calls.
Reports indicated that the lead two barges in tow of the 2,200 hp. Elizabeth M, bound for Braddock, Pa., got caught in an outdraft while exiting the lock and broke loose. When the boat's captain swung around to try to capture them, the river current—estimated at 13–15 mph.—pushed both boat and barges into the dam….
The mv. Wally Blessy suffered two indignities last week. First, the towboat caught fire while pushing a barge on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Port Isabel, Texas, just before midnight January 9. Then, after the fire was extinguished and the boat was being towed back to its home port of Houston, it encountered rough water and wound up beached and partially sunk near Corpus Christi, Texas.
Walter Blessey, president of Blessey Marine Service, the boat's owner, said the fire itself was "more cosmetic than serious." It apparently started in a drum above a small piece of equipment and caused very little damage, he said.
Still, the vessel's captain notified the Coast Guard, and Station South Padre Island dispatched two 27-foot rescue boats to the scene. The boats made it to the burning towboat and got the crew members off within 12 minutes of receiving the call from the Wally Blessey, the Coast Guard said….
Alois Luhr, co-founder and chief executive officer of Luhr Bros. Inc., died January 8 at age 82.
And King Fisher, who founded King Fisher Marine Service and ran it for 57 years, died January 7 at age 89….
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