U.S. Gulf Coast

Grain shippers seek fluid network in and out of Pacific Northwest

A photograph of a man looking at a truckload of grain.

As the U.S. harvest season kicks into high gear over the next month, grain shippers will be watching whether freight railroads’ train speeds will be able to keep up with a potentially sudden ramp-up in demand, according to shippers at the recent annual National Grain Car Council meeting hosted by the Surface Transportation Board.

Low grain demand over the summer has masked velocity issues, grain shippers said. However, the rail network could potentially find itself stressed over the next 30 to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/grain-shippers-seek-fluid-network-in-and-out-of-pacific-northwest

Freight rail operations brace for Hurricane Ida

A photograph of a beach right before a hurricane.

The Class I railroads are watching whether Hurricane Ida will impact operations on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Ida strengthened from a tropical storm into a Category 1 hurricane and could strengthen before it makes landfall this Sunday, according to a  Norfolk Southern service advisory on Friday. 

By early Sunday afternoon, just prior to landfall, Ida could reach Category 3 hurricane status, with sustained winds of 111 to 129 mph, FreightWaves reported.

Heavy rainfall, a significant storm surge...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freight-rail-operations-brace-for-hurricane-ida

Federal regulators to review Amtrak’s request to restore Gulf Coast service

A photo of an Amtrak train travelling through a flat and grassy plain.

The Surface Transportation Board has determined that it will review Amtrak’s request to restore Gulf Coast service, dismissing calls by Class I railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern to deny the request because of concerns about how the passenger rail service might affect freight rail operations.

Amtrak wants to run passenger trains between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. But the service would run on lines owned by CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) and NS (NYSE: NSC), and both railroads, along with the Port of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/federal-regulators-to-review-amtraks-request-to-restore-gulf-coast-service

Mobile terminal touts import access to coveted Midwest destinations

An aerial photograph of the APM Terminals Mobile facility.

APM Terminals Mobile in Alabama is putting a spotlight on its freight rail capacity to handle imported goods from the Gulf Coast to Chicago and other popular Midwestern destinations.

The reminder comes as supply chains are grappling with congestion at Chicago as stakeholders seek to reduce the backlog of imports coming from West Coast ports into the city, long a popular distribution hub linking Western and Eastern rail networks.

The terminal is part of A.P. Moller-Maersk.

APM says it has access to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/mobile-terminal-touts-import-access-to-coveted-midwest-destinations

CSX, NS and Amtrak spar over Gulf Coast service

A photograph of a train leaving a train station.

Amtrak wants the Surface Transportation Board to expedite its review of Amtrak’s plans to reestablish passenger rail service in the U.S. Gulf Coast. The service was discontinued in the mid-2000s. But CSX and Norfolk Southern are saying, not so fast. The two freight rail carriers still want Amtrak to complete a comprehensive survey of how the passenger service would impact regional freight shipping operations.

Amtrak seeks to start operating passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/csx-ns-and-amtrak-spar-over-gulf-coast-service

US maritime group fears waiver abuse by fuel shippers

A group representing U.S. domestic maritime interests has warned the Biden administration that the Jones Act waivers issued by the government to address fuel shortages could be used by shippers to make money off the crisis.

In a letter to President Joe Biden on Thursday, the American Maritime Partnership (AMP) urged the administration to reject any waiver of the Jones Act — a law that requires all cargoes moving domestically to be loaded into American vessels — unless U.S.-flag ships are...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-maritime-group-fears-waiver-abuse-by-fuel-shippers

DOT seeks ‘careful and prompt consideration’ of Amtrak service to Gulf Coast

A photograph of an Amtrak train traveling through an open field.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is supporting efforts to bring Amtrak service to the Gulf Coast, acknowledging the challenges that stakeholders have had in reaching a consensus over infrastructure and operational needs.

A Monday letter from DOT, representing the interests of the agency as well as the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), asks the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to “give careful and prompt consideration” to Amtrak’s request to provide daily service in 2022 between...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/dot-seeks-careful-and-prompt-consideration-of-amtrak-service-to-gulf-coast

US considering foreign tankers to move domestic fuel supplies

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is assessing whether American tankers can meet emergency fuel demands caused by the Colonial Pipeline shutdown or if foreign ships will be needed to help fill the gap.

“The Biden-Harris administration is continually assessing the impact of the ongoing Colonial Pipeline incident on fuel supplies for the East Coast and is monitoring reported shortages in parts of the Southeast,” DOT stated Tuesday. “This ongoing effort includes evaluating resources the...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-considering-foreign-tankers-to-move-domestic-fuel-supplies

Three Ships Carrying Ethanol Heading to China

  • Three ships carrying ethanol were heading to China from the U.S. Gulf Coast, three trade sources told Reuters on Monday.
  • In a sign that exports of the fuel were sharply increasing from the United States to the country.

The shipments may surpass the total amount of U.S. ethanol that China imported last year, a positive development for the U.S. ethanol industry, which has seen decreased demand because of the coronavirus pandemic and the U.S.-China trade war, reports Reuters.

Capacity of Ships

The...

https://mfame.guru/three-ships-carrying-ethanol-heading-to-china/

Towing vessel damages CSX bridge in Louisiana

A photograph of a U.S. Coast Guard boat on the water.

A towing vessel struck the CSX Rigolets Pass swing bridge near Slidell, Louisiana, causing CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) to run trains at a reduced speed, according to reports from CSX and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The incident occurred at 1 a.m. local time. According to watchstandards at the Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, the inspected towing vessel Robert Cernan reportedly hit the bridge, causing the bridge to be stuck in an open position as of noon local time, the Coast Guard said. The waterway remains open...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/towing-vessel-damages-csx-bridge-in-louisiana

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