Pine Bluff Plans Two Cumberland River Fleets
Pine Bluff Materials Company plans to create a barge fleeting area at two locations along the Cumberland River near Nashville, Tenn., for barges waiting to unload aggregate for asphalt and paving production in the area.
The proposed fleeting areas are at Mile 183.5 and Mile 184.5 on the right bank, as listed in a permit application with the Nashville Engineer District. The areas would accommodate a total of 40 barges along 4,000 linear feet of river. Each fleeting area would consist of two groups of 10 barges configured two wide (70 feet) by five long (1,000 feet). The fleet breast line would extend about 150 feet riverward from the bank.
Pine bluff proposes to moor each fleeted group of 10 barges with a spud barge (four spud barges total) equipped with an anchor on the river bottom. Each spud barge would be secured with two spuds 36 inches in diameter and 60 feet high. Two cubic yards of concrete would be poured into the lower portion of each spud and extend through the spud barge hull to the river bottom.
Pine Bluff calculated that the spuds weight about 18,600 pounds each, plus an additional 7,992 pounds of concrete per spud, totaling 26,592 pounds of stability per spud barge/fleeted group of 10 barges. In addition, a Danforth-type anchor would be installed for each spud barge, weighing 10,000 pounds and with a proof test rating of 165,600. The anchor chain is projected to be 1¾-inch stud link chain (grade 2) with a proof test rating of 176,600. A bridle of chain would lay from barge bow timberhead to timberhead from which a 200-foot course of chain would continue down to connect the anchor.
Pine Bluff performed a test to prove stability of the proposed anchorage system by installing one temporary, test spud barge to moor a maximum of 10 barges at Cumberland River Mile 183.5. During the test period from June 4, 2019, through March 21, 2020, no movement of the spud barge was recorded despite six high water events.
No dredging or other work within the waterway would be required for the project, Pine Bluff said. Three existing barge terminals in the Nashville area, Pine Bluff Materials at Cumberland River Mile 175.6, Pine Bluff Materials at Cumberland River Mile 192.8 and Hailey’s Harbor River Transportation Terminal at Cumberland River Mile 180.1, will provide offloading service of aggregate material.
