ACBL issues upper Mississippi River reopening plan

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