National Maritime Enhancement Canter
Inland Waterways Studies Institute
The Inland Waterways Studies Institute was established as a consortium of
universities with the University of Memphis as the lead institute and The
University of Tennessee and the University of Kentucky as major cooperating
institutions. Other institutions within the Southeast Consortium of
University Transportation Centers (SECUTC) provide additional resources on
a project-by-project basis. The purpose of the Institute is to enhance the
performance of maritime industries, specifically those utilizing the inland
waterway transportation system. The network of inland rivers and waterways
is a vital part of the marine transportation system and provides linkages
between ocean ports and inland origins and destinations. This system of
over 25,000 miles of navigable channels carries almost ten percent of the
nation's domestic transportation at the lowest ton-mile cost of any of the
competing modes. The principal commodities transported are bulk goods such
as petroleum, coal, and agricultural products. The Institute conducts
research on a number of interrelated functions which are necessary for
improved performance of inland waterways transportation. Some of those
issues are:
- Port and terminal design and operation, including methods to
evaluate land use conflicts centering on port location and procedures to
improve the efficiency of docking and loading.
- Integration of information technology to enhance the economic
viability of the inland waterway system.
- Vessel design improvements to optimize the efficiency of both
towboats and towbarge systems.
- Environmental considerations, including response mechanisms for
spills and other emergencies, wetland protection, and issues relating to
dredging schedules and disposal of dredge materials.
- Infrastructure optimization including methods for evaluating lock
and dam operations and prioritizing needed improvements.
- Resolution of conflicts among users of the inland system including
those between the transportation segment and recreational users.
- Development of innovative techniques to integrate the perspectives
of public bodies, governmental agencies, and private industry in the
performance of research and the dissemination of research results through
formal education programs, seminars and short courses, and other technology
transfer programs that include the legal, management, and technical issues
which are vital to the implementation of research results.
A second area of emphasis is the Mississippi Delta Region, one of
the most economically depressed areas in the United States. The Institute
addresses issues that assist in developing the resources of the delta
region. These resources are needed to effectively use the potential of the
region and provide economic benefits to both users and communities along
the inland waterway system.
