A smooth Election Day and the election of Donald Trump to a second term as president, along with his pro-business policies, has led to a renewed confidence in the economy. Read More
Horizons
Ken Eriksen It happens every year like clockwork. Autumn follows summer, water levels on the Mississippi River and its tributaries fall, and barge freight rates rise as grain and soybean… Read More
Ken Eriksen In the ever-evolving landscape of commodity supply chains, the dual threats of drought and flooding present significant challenges. Over the past month, I have spoken at… Read More
Ken Eriksen Food and farm products (such as grain and soybeans) are move by barge in substantial volumes on the inland rivers. In 2022 (the last year available for… Read More
In previous Horizons columns, I wrote that cargo is king, and on the inland rivers, barge makes cargo royalty. If barge makes cargo royalty, then inland ports and terminals are… Read More
Inspecting means different things to various people. According to Merriam-Webster, inspecting means “to view closely in critical appraisal or to examine officially.” Building, electrical and plumbing inspectors assure what is… Read More
By Ken Eriksen Towboats are the workhorses of the inland river industry operating on the Mississippi River and its connecting tributaries. They come in all dimensions and horsepower capabilities for… Read More
By Ken Eriksen Billy Joel’s song “Pressure” jumped into the top 20 in 1982. He wrote the song to tell of the “pressure of creating and the pressure of being… Read More
Ken Eriksen Stretching 1,200 miles between Brownsville, Texas, and St. Marks, Fla., the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) connects many cities, including Houston, New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., and the Mississippi… Read More
Ken Eriksen By Ken Eriksen There is a saying that “cargo is king.” It is obvious, but a continual reminder is nice: without cargo there is no need for barges,… Read More
