Lawson Marine Looking To Expand Transload Business

Flexibility and versatility have been hallmarks of the Lawson family of businesses since their founding in the mid 1960s. 

“Originally my grandfather and his partner established Lewis & Lawson Harbor service in Clinton, Iowa, in the 1960s, after realizing the need for a harbor service to service the river industry in that area,” Chief Operating Officer Seth Lawson said. “They stumbled into this service when a local coal dock had a barge breakaway while they were in the area doing some dredging. They were able to use the boat they had on the dredging project to catch the barge and return it to the dock.”

The suite of services offered by Lawson Marine has included, over the years, fleet services, repair and construction, line boat assistance, topside maintenance and repair, custom fabrication and facility design. Lawson Marine recently added a link-belt material handler to its dock in Clinton, Iowa.  Lawson Rigging and Fabrication, located in Sabula, the only island town in Iowa, is another of the family’s businesses. 

A new piece of equipment, a 200-ton crane barge, was sent to St. Louis recently to help a customer with work being performed on a terminal. “We’re doing cell wraps and dragging piles,” Lawson said. “It’s the first marine project Lawson has done with this partner,” although the two have collaborated on many shore-based projects, he said. 

Right now, Lawson sees a lot of opportunity for expansion at the Clinton dock, which is currently handling lots of fertilizer for area farmers and has the capacity to take more. 

“We have complete roll on/roll off capabilities and can handle wind tower components, steel coils and heavy equipment as well as dry bulk cargoes,” he said. 

He added, “Anyone who needs barge movements of almost anything to or from the Midwest should call us.”

Lawson is energized about all the attention the maritime sector has been getting from Congress and the presidential administration, and he said he enjoys his trips to Washington, D.C. to help tell the industry’s story.

Lawson Marine employs 48 people and is always on the lookout for talent, Lawson said. He currently serves on the board of We Work the Waterways, a nonprofit focused on education and recruitment of young people for industries on and around the inland waterways. He also serves on the board of Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals (IRPT).

While recruitment is a concern for the whole river community, when it comes to his own company, Lawson said the recruiting picture is positive.

“While we appreciate candidates who come with some experience, we also hire young people with little or no experience and train them ourselves,” he said. “We’ve sent one guy to The River School for wheelhouse training and have trained several on cranes.”