Major barge carrier American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has issued its earliest release dates for Illinois River barges planning to transit the Lockport Lock, which closed for maintenance last month.
Release dates will be from 23 February through 19 March for barges expecting to pass through the Lockport Lock over the spring season, ACBL said Wednesday.
The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) expects to reopen the Lockport Lock on 25 March, the Corps said when it announced the closure. The Corps closed the lock on 28 January to install new vertical lift gates and make repairs. The closure has cut off major trade hubs such as Chicago, Illinois, and Burns Harbor, Indiana, from Illinois River barge transportation.
Lock 27 and the Mel Price Lock above St Louis will remain partially closed through 1 April, as they are also undergoing maintenance by the Corps, ACBL said.
The barge line acknowledged higher demurrage rates were likely for those who loaded barges prior to the released dates. Initial transit on the Illinois River is also anticipated to have a significant backlog in the spring months.
| ACBL's Illinois River release dates | |
| Origin Port | Barges destined above Lockport Lock, on IL River |
| Mobile, AL | 25 Feb |
| Houston, TX | 23 Feb |
| Weeks Island, LA | 26 Feb |
| New Orleans, LA | 3 Mar |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2 Mar |
| Cincinnati, OH | 5 Mar |
| Decatur, AL | 10 Mar |
| Memphis, TN | 10 Mar |
| Evanscille, IN | 12 Mar |
| Cairo, IL | 16 Mar |
| St Louis, MO | 19 Mar |
| — ACBL | |
