Potential for General Cargo in Off-Shore Barges and River/Ocean Vessels

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Potential for General Cargo in Off-Shore Barges and River/Ocean Vessels

The study explores the potential for containerized shipping in the U.S., concentrating on coastal, short-sea and river/ocean services. The study methodology follows two parallel courses: the first one surveys potential routings; the second one reviews shallow-draft vessel technologies. Routes and vessel characteristics are integrated into a personal computer model, analyzing various combinations of routes and vessel configurations and comparing the point-to-point freights with competing modes of transportation: rail/truck in the case of coastal shipping; and main liner services in the case of short-sea and river/ocean services. The model's findings reveal a limited potential for coastal containerized shipping, mainly because of excessive port cost. The prospects for short-sea shipping are higher, especially when calling on secondary ports not directly called by main lines. River/ocean shipping, the more complicated short shipping form, can only be implemented when concentrated cargo in an inland port is available.