U.S. Gulf: Elevated water levels persisted in the Gulf region, shippers said, leading to delays in barge pickup and drop-off. Shippers warned of increased transit times and reduced tow lengths.
Waits of 24-26 hours were seen at Industrial Lock, and navigation through Algiers Lock was delayed 18-24 hours on average. Boats traveling through Bayou Sorrel Lock described wait times of 12-16 hours, and Port Allen Lock saw passage delayed by about an hour. Localized morning fog holdups of 4-8 hours were reported in the West Canal.
Daylight traveling through Calcasieu Lock was expected to remain sporadically unavailable through April 1. Bayou Sorrel Lock will go offline July 15 through Sept. 15, effecting major delays with traffic rerouted through Algiers.
Lower Mississippi River: High flows continued to interrupt transit on the Lower Mississippi River last week, and a High Water Advisory was in effect for Miles 232-237. Barge pickup and drop-off were delayed throughout the area, and southbound passage through Vicksburg-area bridges was available during daylight hours only. Shippers reduced tow lengths by one loaded string, and extra tug boats were deployed as an added measure of control.
The river was closed on April 6 from Mile 154-163 due to a collision and resulting oil spill, but was partially reopened to allow staggered one-way traffic on April 7 while cleanup efforts were underway. Morning fog delays were also reported.
Upper Mississippi River: Shippers described 2-4 hour waits on navigation through Locks 20 and 27 on the Upper Mississippi for the week.
The Lock 27 main chamber was closed to daylight transit April 6-7 for protection cell painting, and was scheduled to close again on April 16, effectively closing the river on those dates. Lock 27’s auxiliary chamber is offline through April 20. The auxiliary chamber at Mel Price Lock is shuttered through April 30.
Illinois River: Delays of about an hour were reported at the Chicago-area T.J. O’Brien Lock last week.
Ohio River: Locks 52 and 53 had lowered dams last week, shippers said, allowing traffic to pass without locking.
Montgomery Lock’s river chamber was closed indefinitely due to debris buildup in the lower lock gates, forcing all traffic through the site’s land chamber. The auxiliary chamber at New Cumberland Lock, closed for repair since March 10, is set to reopen April 18.
Shippers warned of impending delays at Belleville and Racine Locks, both scheduled to shutter their main chambers from May 26 through July 24.
Newburgh Lock auxiliary chamber maintenance was scheduled to run April 6-27, followed by a main chamber closure on April 28-May12. Major delays are expected from Aug. 31 through Sept. 11, and Sept. 14-25 for main chamber repairs at Lock 52, followed by an auxiliary closure at the site from Oct. 1-30.
The Kanawha River’s Winfield Lock is out of commission through June 10, with major transit delays reported.
On the Monongahela River, the Maxwell Lock river chamber will be out of operation April 24 through May 29, and Elizabeth Lock and Dam’s river chamber will close for maintenance April 27 through May 29. Passage restrictions through the Masontown Bridge Project were expected to ease following a full channel closure on April 8-9, and the river chamber at Braddock Lock and Dam remains offline indefinitely due to ongoing equipment failure.
The Tennessee River’s Wilson Lock will close its main chamber for repairs between May 5 and June 11, with the auxiliary chamber available during daylight hours only. Intermittent closures at Guntersville and Pickwick Locks were announced for Aug. 17 through Sept. 30.
On the Cumberland River, Old Hickory Lock wi