IMX Offers Track For Port, Terminal Officials
The 5th annual Inland Marine Expo (IMX) will present attendees with four educational tracks this year, with one being focused on sessions geared toward facility, or shoreside, owners and operators. In addition to the facility track, there will be a vessel track, general interest track and FreightWeekSTL sessions (WJ, February 19).
The facility track includes five sessions on May 22 and 23 on the exhibit floor of the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo. The first session, titled “Continuing Education Opportunities for Ports,” will be presented by Aimee Andres, executive director of Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT).
The session was developed by Andres and IRPT, which brings education, certification and training programs to the inland river industry. Andres will discuss the inland port manager and inland port executive class, rail training, river school training and supply chain management opportunities. These opportunities, according to Andres, were designed to enhance understanding, preparedness and safety in the industry.
A combined second session, “Efficiency Gains in Bulk Handling Cranes” and “The Hazards of Arc Flash and Combustible Dust—What You Need to Know,” will follow the general session on May 22.
The first half of this session will be presented by Steve Osborne, CEO of E-Crane USA. Osborne will explore the evolution of unloading technology on the rivers, shine a light on the efficiency gains of modern solutions, and show how he predicts this trend will progress in the future. Speakers Pat McEvoy and Dustin Doerr, both with CDG Engineers, will present the second half of the joint session. This technical presentation will provide practical guidance for companies to ensure compliance and prevent workplace injuries.
The fourth session in the facility track will focus on shipyard grants, opportunities and procedures. This session will be presented by Dave Matsuda, principal of Matsuda & Associates LLC. Matsuda, former U.S. Maritime Administrator, will speak on his current initiatives to sustain important funding programs and how inland waterway maritime employers can take advantage of them.
The fifth and final facility track presentation, titled “Dredging Our Channels and Harbors,” will be moderated by Anna Townshend, editor of International Dredging Review magazine. Speakers include Larry McAdoo, regional manager for Anvil Attachments; Paul Clouse, chief, engineering data management, with the St. Louis Engineer District; and Lance Engle, dredging project manager with the St. Louis District.
This panel of speakers will expand on some of the dredging equipment used along the Mississippi River and inland waterways. Clouse will discuss the Corps’ hydrographic surveying equipment and current projects along the river.
Engle will speak on the features of the Corps’ dredges and the type of work it does along the river, while McAdoo will talk about mechanical dredging and some of the bucket and grapple equipment used on the inland river dredging projects.
