| Navigation on agenda |
 |
 |
 |
| Monday, 16 July 2007 07:35 | |||
|
http://www.iberianet.com/articles/2007/07/14/news/news/news87.txt By Steve Bandy The Daily Iberian Channel blockages, a barge fleeting operation and a new waterway patrol are among the items on the agenda for the 5:30 p.m. meeting at the Port of Iberia offices. For the past couple of months, the port’s board of commissioners has attempted to deal with complaints of channel blockages there. The problem primarily occurs when industries located across the channel from each other block a portion of the waterway, making it difficult or impossible for barge traffic to pass. This is especially true when one of the companies is working on large rigs, which cannot easily be moved to another location temporarily. Roy Pontiff, port executive director, has pointed out that federal and state laws prohibit the blocking of navigable waterways. However, Ray Allain, port legal counsel, noted that the problem is created when there is a partial blockage on both sides of the canal with neither company completely blocking the waterway. “We may have to go beyond voluntary action (by industries). We may have to include a special category (in future leases) concerning vessels that cannot be easily moved for a long period of time,” Allain said at the June meeting. The committee will look at specifically defining those “vessels” and what constitutes “a long period of time.” The committee also will review plans for the establishment of a staging area for barges. Finding a place to put barges after they are offloaded at the various companies within the port would help resolve some of the traffic problems. In June, the board learned that Ben LeBlanc, of LeBlanc Marine, has applied for a permit to establish such a site just south of the public docks there. A staging — or fleeting — area is similar to a dock where tugboats can drop off barges away from the central industrialized area of the port. LeBlanc Marine operates a tugboat business at the port. The estimated cost for development of the area, which will be able to hold up to 22 barges, is between $1.1 million and $1.7 million, depending upon the amount of dredging needed and the distance from the bank dredged, according to Mark Berard, engineer. The committee also will consider hiring a waterway patrol officer, who would be charged with locating and dealing with obstructions or debris floating in the port canals. Some tugboat operators have complained about hitting lumber or having ropes entangled in their propellers while navigating the port channels, Jimmie Shea of The Bayou Companies told commissioners at the June meeting. Pontiff suggested that the port hire a patrol to find these objects, remove them if possible or secure them to an area to be later retrieved. The committee will consider a more detailed plan for the new position when it meets Monday. All of the committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to the full board, which meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
|
FB Fans
Latest Forum Topics
- So You Want to Work on a Boat
Engine Room Crew 16.5.2012 21:09 - Re:Harbor Tug?
DMC 26.4.2012 14:21 - Cat 3500 block deck erosion (water grommet area)
ruttsmachine 2.2.2012 8:56 - Under a working tugboat in the Gulf
stewwfinch 29.1.2012 8:07 - Harbor Tug?
Ryan 13.1.2012 20:26