Weekly News Summary For January 31–February 6, 2005:
At a time when most of the Ohio River is experiencing high water, navigation on the river is at a virtual standstill because barges are scraping bottom. While waters are raging elsewhere, observers liken the view to a "moonscape" above Belleville Lock and Dam, where portions of riverbank that haven't been exposed in years are now above the waterline.
The "Belleville Pool" was lost after a January 6 accident when barges in tow of the mv. Jon J. Strong broke away in swift currents and struck the dam. Of the nine barges that broke away, three sank, two went through the tainter gate bays, and four remained afloat but lodged in the dam.
The Strong was exiting Belleville Locks (Mile 203.9) at the time. Similar accidents affected dam operations at other dams on the upper Ohio that same weekend; in separate incidents, barges wound up against Emsworth (Mile 6.2), Dashields (Mile 13.3), Montgomery (Mile 31.7) and Pike Island (Mile 84.3), dams. Tragedy came with the accident at Montgomery, as four crewmembers of the mv. Elizabeth M lost their lives when the towboat itself was forced into and through the dam (WJ, January 17).
At Belleville, a bad situation quickly worsened, as the barges stuck in the dam blocked the operation of the dam's roller gates. Because the accident occurred in high water, all of the gates were open. When the water started receding, the Corps of Engineers was unable to close the gates, and the Belleville Dam effectively ceased to exist in terms of its purpose, which was to hold back enough water to allow navigation upstream.
The pool above the dam slowly fell out, until the lock was closed to navigation January 20. That followed several days of increasing navigation restrictions in the Belleville pool as the water levels dropped….
The Coast Guard suspended its search on January 26 for Chester Cheramie, a 40-year-old towboat captain, who was piloting the 65-foot mv. John 1:1 when it sank in the Mississippi River near Luling, La., at about 1:53 a.m. on January 25.
The boat sank near Mile 120 of the Lower Mississippi River, about four miles south of the I-310 bridge in the vicinity of Destrehan, La.
The Coast Guard was notified that the towboat was sinking and required assistance. Two crewmembers were able to make it offboard while the captain remained aboard.
Coast Guard spokesman Nyx Cangemi said the vessel was beginning the process of picking up some barges when the accident took place.
"They had just pulled up to the Reserve fleeting area where they were attempting to tie up," he said. "They were in the process of getting barges. That is how the two deckhands were able to get off safely."…
William A. Evans Jr., who for more than 25 years has covered the busy New Orleans and Gulf Coast area for The Waterways Journal, has retired at age 62.
Evans has been on medical leave since late fall 2004 as he undergoes treatment for lung cancer.
Evans' name first appeared on the WJ masthead in the July 14, 1979, issue. He joined the Journal staff after working for four years as an assistant manager of public relations and advertising for Lykes Lines. Prior to that, he worked 61/2 years for the Memphis Press-Scimitar and the Associated Press, during which time he covered federal agencies including the Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard. He also did a brief stint on a towboat for Gulf-Canal Lines.
He said at the time that he traced his interest in the rivers back to his junior high school days when he listened to WJG in Memphis on an old console radio tucked away in the attic….
The Coast Guard and the marine industry have established a marine Traffic Control Center (TCC) January 21 to monitor and guide commercial vessels through downtown Baton Rouge.
A safety zone has also been established on the Mississippi River extending from six miles north of the U.S. 190 Bridge to six miles south of the Interstate 10 Bridge. All vessels entering the safety zone are required to coordinate their movement with the staff of the TCC. They can be reached via VHF radio on channels 67 and 11.
The TCC and safety zone were implemented when the Mississippi River reached a height of 35 feet, flood stage for the Baton Rouge area, and will remain in effect until the river has crested and begins to fall to safe levels. The Mississippi River is expected to crest at 39 feet on or about February 1. The TCC and safety zone are anticipated to be in effect of two or three weeks as a precautionary measure….
Kirby Corporation last week announced record net earnings for the 2004 fourth quarter of $13.5 million, a 22 percent increase compared with $11 million for the fourth quarter of 2003. On a diluted per-share basis, 2004 fourth quarter earnings were 53 cents, up 18 percent from 45 cents a year ago.
Kirby also reported record net earnings for the 2004 year of $49.5 million, a 21 percent increase compared with $40.9 million for the 2003 year. Diluted earnings per share for the 2004 year were $1.97, up 18 percent from $1.67 for the 2003 year.
Consolidated revenues for the 2004 fourth quarter were $173.7 million, a 14 percent increase compared with $152 million for the 2003 fourth quarter. For the year, consolidated revenues were $675.3 million, a 10 percent increase compared with $613,474,000 for 2003.
Kirby reported record earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $38.7 million for the 2004 fourth quarter and $148.3 million for the 2004 year….
The Waterways Journal encourages letters to the editor.
Have something on your mind?
Send letters to: jshoulberg@waterwaysjournal.net.
(Please indicate whether or not your letter is intended for publication.)
