ACBL issues upper Mississippi River reopening plan

Market: Agriculture, Biofuels, Fertilizers, Freight, Oil products
24/01/25

Major barge carrier American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has issued its tentative reopening plan for the upper Mississippi River, with release dates as soon as 1 February.

Depending on operating conditions, ACBL will begin releasing barges at Mobile, Alabama; Houston, Texas; and Lake Charles, Louisiana, on 1 February for barges destined above St Louis, Missouri, but below Dubuque, Iowa. The barges destined between Dubuque and St Paul, Minnesota, will begin travel as soon as on 11 February at the same locations. Release dates are based on ACBL's anticipated lock reopenings by the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).

Lock 25, upriver of St Louis, Missouri, is scheduled to reopen on 28 February, ACBL said. The main chambers for neighboring locks 27 and Mel Price will still be closed, although the auxiliary locks will be open, according to the Corps.

Upper Mississippi Locks 20,18 and 16, between Quincy, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa are expected to reopen 4 March, the Corps said. But these dates remain tentative since freezing conditions may still hamper transit.

The Corps typically reopens locks around mid-March depending on ice thickness across multiple locations.

By Meghan Yoyotte

ACBL's tentative upper Miss. reopening schedule
Origin Port	Barges destined above St L. to Dubuque, IA	Barges destined above Dubuque to St Paul, MN

Mobile, AL	1 Feb	11 Feb
Houston, TX	1 Feb	11 Feb
Lake Charles, LA	1 Feb	11 Feb
New Iberia, LA	4 Feb	14 Feb
New Orleans, LA	11 Feb	21 Feb
Memphis, TN	18 Feb	28 Feb
Little Rock, AR	11 Feb	21 Feb
Blytheville, AR	19 Feb	1 Mar
Pittsburgh, PA	12 Feb	22 Feb
Cincinnati, OH	16 Feb	26 Feb
Jeffersonville, OH	18 Feb	28 Feb
Louisville, KY	18 Feb	28 Feb
Evansville, MS	20 Feb	1 Mar
Chicago-Joliet, IL	25 Mar	25 Mar
Morris, IL-South	20 Feb	1 Mar
Nashville, TN	20 Feb	1 Mar
Decatur, AL	16 Feb	26 Feb
Chattanooga, TN	12 Feb	22 Feb
Cairo, IL	28 Feb	9 Mar
St. Louis, MO	1 Mar	11 Mar
― ACBL

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