Are barges moving on the Mississippi River?

More than a thousand barges — many of them likely carrying corn or soybeans — can now resume their trip along the Mississippi River after traffic was stopped due to a cracked bridge near Memphis, Tenn., according to a statement released by the U.S. Coast Guard.

How many barges are backed up on the Mississippi River?

A crack in a bridge over the Mississippi River has stranded more than 700 barges, cutting off the biggest route for U.S. agricultural exports when the critical waterway is at its busiest.

Why are barges used on the Mississippi River?

About half of the barge traffic on the Mississippi River involves the shipping of grain that is loaded onto ships traveling down to the Gulf of Mexico for overseas transport. Thousands of barges are used to carry grain down the Mississippi River to the Port of South Louisiana.

How big are the barges on the Mississippi River?

Most barges are built for specific cargoes. For dry cargo they average 1,500 tons capacity and measure 195 feet (60 metres) long by 35 feet (10 metres) wide; for liquid cargo the proportions are about 2,500 tons capacity and 295 feet (90 metres) by 50 feet (15 metres).

How far can shipping barges go up the Mississippi?

Lower Mississippi Louis to the Port of New Orleans has no locks or dams and allows barges up to 7×6 or 42 barge units per tow. Oceangoing ships with drafts of 45 feet and height clearances over 150 feet can navigate the waters up to Baton Rouge.

How far north can barges go on the Mississippi?

The river is 2,340 miles (3,765 kilometers) long. With the Missouri River, the Mississippi forms the world’s third-longest river system. It is navigable by ocean-going vessels from the Gulf to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. North of that location, it is navigable by barges and towboats as far as Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Why was the Mississippi River shut down?

It was shut down more than three weeks ago due to a cracked beam in the span. Buttigieg on Thursday met with regional transportation officials at a FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) facility in Memphis before touring the Hernando De Soto bridge, also called the Mississippi River bridge.

Is the Mississippi River blocked?

Mississippi River reopens near Memphis after shutdown caused barge jam. The Mississippi River reopened to vessel traffic near Memphis on Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The reopening ends a shutdown of a part of the waterway that disrupted shipments of oil and corn and caused a backlog of more than 1,000 barges.

How long does it take a barge to go down the Mississippi river?

The crew carefully planned the route; they would spend 14 days aboard, running 10 to 11 hours a day at around 10 miles per hour, eventually traveling 1,260 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. They would stop and tie up every night and eat dinners out.

How deep is the Mississippi River at its deepest point?

200′Mississippi River / Max depth

From its source, Lake Itasca, to its end, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River drops 1,475 feet. The deepest point on the Mississippi River is located near Algiers Point in New Orleans and is 200 feet in depth.

How fast do barges go on the Mississippi?

Description: The dimensions of the vessel are 241 feet by 58 feet with an 8- foot draft and height of 51.5 feet above the design water line. A towing speed of 8 miles per hour with 16 loaded mat barges and a running speed of 15 miles per hour with light boat in slack water was specified.

How long does it take a barge to go down the Mississippi River?

Is there a crack in the Mississippi bridge?

A bridge that crosses the Mississippi River has reopened after undergoing three months of repairs due to a crack in the support beam, multiple news outlets reported.

Can barges go under the Memphis bridge?

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The United States Coast Guard Heartland says the waterway restriction near the I-40 bridge is lifted. The restriction lifted Friday, came after days of closure due to a crack found in the bridge. USCG says boats and barges are now permitted to cross under the I-40 bridge.

How deep is a river barge?

A standard barge is 35 feet wide and 195 feet long. It is 12 feet deep and sinks nine feet below the surface when loaded, pushing through the water like a brick.