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Inland PortMay/June 2011

Floodfight 2011Operation Watershed

When the Levee Breaks

INLAND PORT MAGAZINEMay/June 2011

VoluMe III, NuMber IIIISSN 2156-7611

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Floodfight 2011: Operation WatershedBy Bob Anderson, USACE Mississippi Vallley Division4

Inland PortMay/June 2011 • Volume III, Issue III

THE LAST WORDInterview with Bruce LambertExecutive Director, Institute for Trade & Transportation Studies

24

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12

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10

Industry Notebook22

The Morgan City PerspectiveBy Cindy Cutera, Port of Morgan City6

Side Scan Sonar Target Comparative Techniques for Port Security ApplicationsBy Garry Kozak, of L-3 Klein Associates

12

Silting Brings New ThreatIndustry and Congressional Leaders Call for Emergency Funding ForMississippi River Channel

7

Port of Pittsburgh Rolls Out Red Carpet for IRPT ConferenceA photo gallery of this year’s Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals gathering10Getting the Story Beyond the WaterwaysBy Edward Robinson, CIO, TPG Marine Enterprises11

Port of Toledo Spreads Intermodal WingsInterview with Port Authority President & CEO Paul Toth15Hull’s Novels Tackle Terrorist Threats to Ports & HarborsInterview with author Robert Banks Hull18

Epic floodwaters require heroic responses to control flows that surpassed the Great Flood of 1927.

And the nation can ill afford a repeat of the 1927 calamity which claimed 500 lives, left 600,000 people homeless and spread its “chocolate tide” in a swath of destruction 80 miles wide and 1,000 miles long, inundating more than 26,000 square miles, or 16.6 million acres of land.

The epic response required using every flood control resource within the Missis-sippi River watershed, the 3rd largest in the world, to shave height from historic crest levels during the flood’s most danger-ous hours.

Reservoirs and lakes along the Ohio, Missouri, and Upper Mississippi rivers were filled to capacity and exceeded many historic levels to help keep the lower river’s crests from overtopping the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) system’s flood control structures.

SOME TOUGH DECISIONS“This is a complex system of water-

ways, rivers and lakes that USACE engi-neers must consider as a whole,” said Maj. Gen. Michael J. Walsh, Commander of the Mississippi Valley Division (MVD) and President of the Mississippi River Com-mission (MRC).

Still, the reservoirs were not enough to stem the steadily rising river and Maj. Gen. Walsh faced decisions that no engi-neer ever wants to make– the deliberate operation of inhabited floodways to save the integrity of the flood control system.

“Making these kinds of decisions was not easy or hard from an engineering per-spective because smart engineers made these same decisions more than 70 years ago when the system was designed,” Walsh said. “Essentially, the river tells us when

it’s time to operate the system as designed. The decision to operate was grave, though, because it would lead to loss of property and livelihood, either in the floodway or in an uncontrolled area that was not designed to flood.”

One of General Walsh’s colleagues on the MRC, the Honorable R.D. James from Missouri, was personally impacted by the decision to operate the Birds-Point New Madrid Floodway.

“My family’s land lies within the floodway, and I could not displace from my mind what the decision would mean to my friends and neighbors who live and farm the floodway’s 130,000 acres,” Mr. James said. “But when the National Weather Service issued a forecast of 63 feet on the Cairo, Ill., gage on May 2, I realized that a decision on activation was imminent. As I sat with General Walsh throughout the day, my position as a mem-ber of the Commission weighed heavily on my soul. I knew the decision points of activation were a part of federal law and that decision lay with the MRC. I know that General Walsh withheld his order to activate until the very moment there was no choice. When he gave the order, I prayed for the safety of all involved, and for all affected. I applaud his delayed and deliberate approach to giving that order and support him in doing so.”

Over a three-day period, activation of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway re-duced the forecasted crest near Hickman, Ken., by 3.8 feet, and prevented the river from overtopping federal levees protecting cities and towns in Illinois, Kentucky, Mis-souri, and Tennessee.

As waters from the Upper Mississippi and Ohio rivers gathered below the conflu-ence at Cairo, Ill., on May 3, the river grew to monstrous proportions with flows of

May/June 20114 www.inlandportmagazine.com

By Bob AndersonUSACE Mississippi Valley DivisionPublic Affairs Officer

Melting runoff from mountains of snow combined with rainfall ten times greater than average spread out over a 200,000 square-mile area within the Mississippi River’s watershed produced the Great Flood of 2011, a flood that swelled our nation’s mightiest river to historic levels.

OperatiOn Watershed

Mississippi Valley Division Commander Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh (right) discusses opera-tion of the Morganza Floodway with New Orleans District Commander Ed Fleming. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Bob Anderson).

The Army Corps of Engineers opened the Morganza Floodway when the water flow reach 1.5 million cubic feet per second. Fifteen bays were open as of May 17. A survey boat can be seen inspecting for scouring.

Floodfight 2011

5May/June 2011 www.inlandportmagazine.com

more than 2.3 million cubic feet per sec-ond, equal to 25 times the amount of water flowing over Niagara Falls every instant.

The Corps’ Memphis District, having worked around the clock preparing for operation of the Birds Point - New Madrid Floodway, were again fully engaged in their second district-wide flood fight in less than two months. On May 10, the river crested at 47.87 feet in Memphis after setting new records at New Madrid and Caruthersville, Missouri.

“For the Corps of Engineers, the num-ber one priority is public safety,” said Col. Vernie Reichling, Memphis District Com-mander. “We have 150 people out on the levees, walking them, inspecting them and assisting communities,” he added.

Along the swollen St. Francis River in Arkansas, a Mississippi River tribu-tary, the Memphis District operated the Huxtable Pumping Plant (the world’s largest storm water pumping station) continuously for almost three consecutive months, threatening the plant’s previous operational record set at 120 days of non-stop pumping.

Between May 3 and May 19, the river inundated 6.8 million acres of farm-land in unprotected areas between Cape Girardeau, Mo., and the Head of Passes in Louisiana. Approximately 10,000 people evacuated due to backwater flooding. SMALL VICTORIES

Despite giving up some ground to allow the river to flex its power, the flood control system operated as designed and saved another 9.8 million acres, thou-sands of homes, more than four million people and billions of dollars in infra-structure from inundation.

During this same time period, two additional decisions were made to protect the integrity of the MR&T system between Baton Rouge and New Orleans – operation of the Bonnet Carré, La., and the Morgan-za, La., floodways.

Maj. Gen. Walsh ordered New Orleans District to open Bonnet Carré on May 9 to keep the volume of river flows passing New Orleans at 1.25 million cubic feet per second (cfs). The spillway protects the integrity of the levees and floodwalls that protect New Orleans.

As this issue of Inland Port went to press, 330 of Bonnet Carré’s 350 bays were open with a flow of 316,000 cfs. Spillway gates were to remain open until late June, when river levels were predicted to drop below 1.25 million cfs passing New Orleans.

OPENING THE MORGANZA FLOODWAYA more difficult decision soon followed

when Maj. Gen. Walsh ordered the Mor-

ganza Floodway opened on May 14. The operation order called for the structure’s deliberate and slow opening to spread the resulting inundation gradually over a one-week timeframe.

Morganza is located 310 river miles above New Orleans and currently has 17 of 125 bays open with a discharge of approxi-mately 170,000 cfs.

The operation of both Morganza and Bonnet Carré caused a 2.5-foot lowering of the river’s forecasted crest at New Orleans and Baton Rouge, protecting a 200-mile-long corridor of levees and floodwalls.

History was also made with the open-ing of Morganza because it represented the first time three floodways have oper-ated simultaneous.

SAVING LIVES & LIVELIHOODS“By operating the MR&T system as

designed, including the floodways, the value of this investment to our nation can be counted by what we haven’t lost – lives, critical infrastructure for the energy industry, and more than 50 billion dollars in damages to homes and businesses,” said Col. Ed Flemming, Commander of the New Orleans District.

On My 19, the river crested in Vicks-burg, Miss., setting a record at 57.1 feet. Fortunately, the river did not overtop the Yazoo backwater levees, sparing some 24,000 acres of rich farmland.

A LONG WAY TO GO“Although we passed the crest today,

I believe we are only one-third of the way through this flood event,” said Col. Jeff Eckstein, Vicksburg District Commander. “We must continue to remain vigilant and keep a close eye on the system until the danger has passed,” he added.

Working closely with the US Coast Guard, navigation is now constrained on the swollen river to ensure the integ-rity of flood control structures. Rightly so, because experienced towboat pilots describe the force of the river’s currents as extremely treacherous.

Still, MR&T channel improvements are serving as a critical part of the flood control system in this historic event. Without river bend cutoffs, dikes and revetments, the ongoing flood would have overwhelmed levees and floodwalls and the communities they protect.

From Cairo to Baton Rouge, flood stage records have been broken. However, where channel improvements have been made – at Memphis, Helena, and Arkansas City – river crests have stayed well below prior record levels. This is despite flows near or above those seen during the 1927 and 1937 floods.

A federal, state and local team sank this barge in Bayou Chenne to help dam water. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo).

The leading edge of water in the eastern part of the Morganza Floodway still north of I-10 as of May 17. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo).

The Bonnet Carre Spillway was opened in order to keep the volume of the Mississippi River flows at New Orleans from exceeding 1.25 million cubic feet per second. As of May 17, 330 bays were open. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Photo).

Water flows from the Old River Control Structure on May 14. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Bob Anderson)

The Corps has never claimed to tame the giant river as it rages toward the Gulf of Mexico, only shackle it within the confines of the MR&T system. All the MR&T’s flood control features – floodways/spillways, backwater levees, channel improvements levees/floodwalls, gates, pumps, reservoirs and relief wells – are working in concert to pass historic flows while accommodating the natural tendencies of the mighty Mississippi River.

The MR&T system is performing as designed. If this same beast is to be caged during future floods, we must soon begin work to repair, rebuild and reinvest in the infrastructure that saved so much and so many in 2011. IP


THE MORGAN CITY PERSPECTIVEBy Cindy Cutrera, Port of Morgan City

Like many others, communities surrounding the Port of Morgan City, LA weathered the recent record water levels in the Atchafalaya River. The di-

rective given to Colonel Ed Fleming of the US Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District to operate the Morganza Floodway when the Mississippi River reached 1.5 million cubic feet per second at the Red River Landing was a cause for concern for Morgan City, LA and surrounding areas.

The Morganza Floodway, located 310 river miles above New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Pointe Coupee Parish, was constructed in 1954 in order to maintain the course of the Mississippi River. Upon opening of the struc-ture, water is diverted from the Mississippi River into the Atchafalaya Basin, including the Atchafalaya River and the Atchafalaya Swamp in south-central Louisiana.

The structure was only operated once before, during the flood of 1973 when the Atchafalaya River at Morgan City reached a level of 10.5 feet. A series of seawalls and levees were expected to handle additional water levels in the river.

However, according to Morgan City Mayor Tim Matte, the major concern for Morgan City was for areas affected by backwater flooding. Hesco bas-kets and sand bags were used on existing levees in order to increase current protection levels. The St. Mary Parish Levee District sank a barge in order to prevent the flow through Bayou Chene, that would normally be a source of backwater flooding.

Morgan City began closing floodgates to the city on May 5th. While there were only a handful of residents on the unprotected side of the seawall, many oil and gas support companies located along the waterway had to cease operating or move to another location before their businesses become submerged. IP

The USACE St. Louis District monitored the Wappapello Lake spillyway as it flooded on May 5 (left), and after it returned to nor-mal releases on May 11 (above). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District photos.

As this issue of Inland Port was going to press, a pair of levee breaches south of Hamburg,

Iowa, prompted a mandatory evacuation order for residents of the town. The Fremont County Emer-gency Management Office said about 240 residents, or 20 percent of the town, were ordered to evacuate following the downstream levee breach in Missouri’s Atchison County.

Record outflows from upstream reservoirs have swollen the Missouri River this year, adding considerable pressure to a vast system of levees erected along the river’s banks.

As a temporary measure to reinforce the levee, the Iowa National Guard began dropping thou-sands of pounds of large sandbags to help fill the weakened area. The levee, located at River Mile 552.5 in Atchison County, Mo. is in the Federal Program (PL84-99) and is operated and maintained by the non-federal sponsor.

The levee was constructed by the Corps. USACE personnel along with the levee sponsor were onsite when the second partial breach occurred. IP

Northwestern Division Commander, Brig Gen John McMahon, inspects the use of a trap bag. The wedge shaped bags are filled with sand and to serve as a rapid flood fighting measure. Photo by Colonel Robert Ruch.

Iowa Levee Breaches


Congressional leaders joined a coalition of more than 70 maritime interests

today calling for $95 million in immediate emergency funding to maintain the Lower Mississippi River shipping channel in the wake of 2011’s historic river stages.

About 450 million tons of international cargo worth an estimated $114 billion moves through the Lower Mississippi River annually. That cargo could be at risk if additional funds are not appropriated to address the fallout from this year’s high river stage.

While the threat from the high water is subsiding, the large amount silt that has traveled down with the high water poses an unprecedented threat to the economy of the United States. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received roughly one-third of the budget it will need to maintain the Mississippi River’s shipping channel to congressionally authorized dimensions to avoid major disruptions to the nation’s largest port district.

Channel restrictions or closures would result in a ripple effect on the nation’s supply chain. The river moves two-thirds of U.S. grain exports and is vital to other

commodities, such as coal, petroleum products and steel.

“The time to act is now,” said Gary LaGrange, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans. “The failure of the federal government to respond immediately will have severe economic impact. We are calling on Congress to pass an emergency supplemental appropriation, which should include the $95 million needed to main-tain and restore the river to its authorized channel dimensions.”

The shipping channel on the Lower Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to the mouth is normally maintained to a Congressionally-Authorized depth of 45 feet and the width of the navigation channel varies at different sections. The channel at Southwest Pass, near the river’s mouth, has already been reduced from a width of 750 feet to 200 feet, which poses safety concerns. Before the high water season brought additional water down the Mississippi, the river’s draft had been reduced to 44 feet because of lack of adequate funding. If no further funding is made available, the draft could be reduced even more dramatically as the river levels

begin to drop over the next several weeks. “Restricting Mississippi River traffic is

like reducing major interstates to a single lane and imposing size restrictions on vehicles because the roads were not main-tained,” said U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans. “In this case, getting the critical products we need to market will be slowed. The result will be significant losses for business owners, price increases and sluggish trade. Congress and the Adminis-tration need to act now. I’m pounding the pavement until I get results.”

If additional funding is not received to boost dredging activities, ships would be forced to load light to get in and out of the river. This increases shipping costs and reduces the volume of products to be exported by the U.S., working against President Obama’s goal of doubling ex-ports by 2014.

“The present situation is most critical in Southwest Pass where additional fund-ing and hopper dredges are needed now,” said Sean Duffy Sr., administrator of the Big River Coalition, which represents a variety maritime, shipping and agriculture interests from Illinois to Louisiana. “River

Silting Brings New Threat Industry and Congressional Leaders Call For Emergency Funding for Mississippi River Channel


Statement from Waterways Council Chairman Rick Calhoun, President of Cargo Carriers (Cargill), on the State of Emergency Facing the Lower Mississippi River: “The inland waterways navigation system is the most im-portant transportation asset in the US and is vital to the economic well-being of this country. From its inception, the federal government has played a critical role in ensur-ing that the inland navigation system, including the Mis-sissippi River, remains open to transport products such as grain, coal, steel, petroleum and aggregate materials. We urgently call on the federal government to take all necessary steps to provide funding for this national transportation asset and to allow the Lower Mis-sissippi River to remain fully open for commerce.

This year, we have seen unprecedented levels of high water on the Mississippi River carrying millions of tons of silt and debris to the mouth of the River. As water levels begin to recede, an emergency situation has developed with significant silting and shoaling at the River’s mouth that imminently threatens the ability of vessels to enter and exit the river.

The President has announced his intention to double exports in the next five years, but without a viable Mis-sissippi River there will be no possible way to reach that goal. Commerce to and from 38 states moves throughout the port complex in south Louisiana. Coal from West Virginia, corn from Iowa, fertilizer from Florida, petroleum products from Texas, and aggregate materials from Arkansas are transported through these ports.

More than 6,000 ocean-going vessels and more than 450 million tons of cargo move through the mouth of the Mississippi River annually. This silting may soon result in restrictions being imposed for ships and vessels that rely on this passageway to export products to the world market out of ports in south Louisiana. Dredging of this critical artery must happen now, but there is a shortfall of funds to do so. We urge the White House to immediately submit an emergency request for supplemental funds to Congress, and we ask that Congress expeditiously process that request for Emergency Supplemental Ap-propriations funding. Dredging this critical artery should be viewed as an investment, not a cost, in the future of our vital inland waterways transportation system.

As our nation continues to struggle to return to eco-nomic prosperity, we simply cannot ignore the necessity of our ports and waterways in keeping America strong.” IP

crossings upriver and the New Orleans Harbor will be in the same grossly defi-cient state as the mouth of the river once the river levels drop below 12 feet or so in New Orleans.”

Two thirds of the nation’s grain exports are transported to world markets through the Mississippi River and four of the ten oil refineries along the river depend on unimpeded navigation to receive petroleum shipments. Export coal and imported raw materials, such as steel, rubber, copper, aluminum and lum-ber for manufacturing, also depend on the waterway. The Corps of Engineers’ impact studies illustrate that for every $1 spent to maintain the Lower Missis-sippi River, there is a $35 return to the U.S. economy.

“Our river systems are vital to the local, regional, and national economies,” said U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie. “The jobs supported by our river systems and the cargo they transport are essential to maintaining our country’s export capacity, and help states compete in international markets. A failure to adequately dredge our rivers will lead to harmful draft restrictions and will cause unnecessary economic damage along with schedule disruptions for employers throughout the country. We must be proactive in preserving jobs by adequately dredging the river in order to maintain a depth that allows compa-nies throughout the country to quickly transport their cargo down our rivers and to the rest of the world.”

“We can limit further economic harm to our region by including essen-tial funding for dredging the Mississippi, Atchafalaya and other rivers and strengthening our levee systems that are in place to protect thousands of American households and businesses,” said U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Quitman, La., and a ranking member of the House Committee on Appropria-tions. “Critical federal aid is needed immediately to ensure that these channels remain open for commerce.”

U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy called for a quick federal response to thwart economic hardships, as well.

“Recent flooding has increased the urgency of proper dredging of the Mis-sissippi River,” said Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, La. “While the high river stage will soon recede, the same cannot be said for the debris and other material that came with it. Left unchecked, this material will continue to delay ships and barges, costing us jobs and potentially damaging our economy. Congress and the President must ensure we do not compound this tragedy by failing to provide adequate resources for this critical work.”

Congressional leaders also called on the Administration to tap the docu-mented surplus of more than $6 billion in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to pay for channel maintenance. The trust fund is a tariff placed on imported goods to pay for channel maintenance; however, navigation interests are short-changed by about $800 million annually.

“I call on the President, the Office of Management and Budget and the Corps of Engineers to end the accounting gimmick of shortchanging the dredging ac-counts in their annual budget request, expecting Congress to step in and cover the difference,” said U.S. Rep. John Fleming, M.D., R-Shreveport, La. “The risks to our state and national economies of not doing so are unacceptable. In a frag-ile economy, we simply can’t afford to see commerce along the Mississippi River diminished because of the Administration’s inaction.”

“It is imperative we maintain and enhance our harbors and waterways,” said U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, La. “Sediment plumes from the recent floods are visible from space. These deposits hinder our ability to move Louisi-ana products to the global marketplace. My bill, the Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP) Act, tackles the problem of inadequate dredging head on, and I am very pleased so many Members of Congress, including most of Louisi-ana’s delegation, are co-sponsors. The RAMP Act ensures funds in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund are utilized for the intended purpose of dredging and maintaining coastal ports, harbors and waterways. The time to act is now.”

“This critical situation shines a light on the much larger problem of Wash-ington bureaucrats stealing harbor maintenance trust fund dollars from waterways dredging,” said U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry, R-New Iberia, La. “If left unchecked, the dredging shortfalls could cause a double dip disaster for the hundreds of thousands of jobs that rely on Mississippi River transportation. Not only do I support the dredging at the Port of New Orleans, but I also fully support every Louisiana port being dredged to its authorized width and depth. Our people’s livelihoods and our nation’s commerce depend on it.” IP


As this issue of Inland Port went to press, Fullen Dock and Warehouse,

an intermodal river terminal located at Mile 740 of the Lower Mississippi River, announced that its terminal and docks are fully operational despite record river levels set in recent weeks along the Mis-sissippi River in Memphis. According to the National Weather Service’s temporary Memphis gauge, the river peaked at 47.87 feet in the early morning hours of May 10.

While the water is scheduled to begin receding, it could be weeks until river

levels return to normal.“While we’ve never experienced

river levels of this magnitude, we’re fully equipped to adapt to the rising water,” said Lanny Chalk, Fullen Dock and Warehouse terminal manager. “The company’s found-ers built our facilities well above the 100 year flood plain and we invested in the necessary equipment to keep us opera-tional for our customers. Currently, we have three fully functional docks, as well as a reserve dock, that can handle levels of minus ten feet to plus 48 feet on the Memphis river gauge.”

In addition to its docking services, the company operates a Fullen Stone division, which recently served as a key supplier of fill sand used in sandbags to prevent and help mitigate damage caused from the ris-ing river levels in and around the region. Fullen Stone also supplies limestone roadbase, concrete aggregate, rip rap and agricultural limestone.

“We want people to know that despite the recent flooding issues affecting the Midsouth, we’re open and ready for busi-ness,” said Marvin Frick, Fullen Dock’s

general manager. “While we hope that this is the highest river level we’ll see, we’re fully prepared to assist customers seeking aggregate or dock services in Memphis.”

Fullen Dock and Warehouse is a full-service intermodal river terminal and warehousing facility located at Mile 740 of the lower Mississippi River, immediately north of Downtown Memphis. Its clients include barge brokers, freight forward-ers, and manufacturers requiring barge services, harbor and tug services, trans-shipment, trucking and storage within the Mid-South (Memphis, Tenn.) and to other continental U.S. regions. Founded in 1979 in Memphis, “America’s Distribution Center,” Fullen is located near the junction of I-40 and I-55, with open rail access to CSXT, Burlington Northern, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. IP

Fullen Dock Remains Operational Despite Record Levels


Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals (IRPT) held its Annual Conference in Pittsburgh. Jim McCarville and

the Pittsburgh Port Commission were gracious hosts, and their efforts were appreciated by all. The organization had a grand time and is already looking forward to St. Louis in 2012.

IRPT Officers for 2011 • Jerry Sailors, Chairman of the Board• Maurice Owen, President• Dennis Wilmsmeyer, First Vice President• Rich Cooper, Second Vice President• Brett Bourgeois, Secretary/Treasurer

IRPT Board of Directors for 2011• Hugh McConnell, Arkansas-White Red-Ouachita Rivers Basin• Mark Sheppard, Gulf and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways• Jimmy Yeager, Lower Mississippi• Ed Riney, Ohio River• Jeff Stewart, Ohio River• Steve Burns and Cline Jones, Southeast Rivers• Terry Moore, James Kearns and Lauren Oostgard, Upper Mississippi• Frank Gallegos, Phil Wright and Catherine Coghill, International

Mike McQuillan is the new Interna-tional Basin Chair, replacing Dan Negron, who has moved over to serve on the IRPT Port Security Project Board of Directors. Other IRPT members serving on the Port Security board include Chair Jerry Sail-ors, Treasurer Brett Bourgeois, and John Bennett, Secretary. IP

Port of Pittsburgh Rolls Out

Red Carpetfor IRPT Conference


By Edward RobinsonChief Information OfficerTPG Marine Enterprises, LLC

The speeches and insights offered at the IRPT conference in Pittsburgh had a profound ef-

fect on me. As a first-time attendee I was newly impressed by how powerful the argument is for investing in our national river transportation infrastructure, creating family wage jobs, and greening up our shipping options as part of an en-vironmentally responsible initiative that govern-ment sponsors on each side of the political aisle can take credit for.

The concern I experienced by the realization that both Democratic and Republican budget proposals for the US waterways are woefully inadequate is also sort of inspiring. There is op-portunity for every Congressman and every Sena-tor (state and national) to herald the importance of the IWS: its commerce, its responsibility, its potential, and its people.

And be assured, it will take political capital to capture necessary funding with the House chant-ing “austerity” at every turn and the President looking for job creation opportunities in sectors actually willing to create jobs.

Done well, it will also create political capital – for conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats. The ultimate beneficiaries will be all Americans.

Here’s the reality: more than any business I can think of, the waterways and their related operations offer the national economy the great-est opportunity for return on investment. We will drive the greatest ongoing growth. We will affect the most households. We will deliver the most dynamic sustainability. The waterways impact everything.

We have done a great job of telling ourselves this story. We believe it.

Now we have to tell everyone else. And we don’t have a lot of time. We are behind

the news curve. We need an evangelical fervor to infuse very communication opportunity. We need to be in Time, Fortune, The Weekly Standard, and The Nation. We need to be on CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, FOX, PBS, and MSNBC.

AWO is developing a new strategy for com-municating our story inside the Beltway. To assist that enterprise I believe we need a new coalition of the willing, comprised of our best waterways communicators, to craft a dynamic, compelling, understandable grass roots message to the nation and world – beyond those counties on the water.

We know that citizen voters even hundreds of miles from the geography of river commerce are positively impacted by its success – and dimin-ished by its doldrums. I’m offering my services to help build a plan.

Who’s with me? IP

Getting the StoryBeyond the Waterways


Inland port security concerns and Naval MCM Q-Routes for har-bor and ship berth areas require that these areas be surveyed

prior to vessel movement for possible hostile MLO (mine-like-object) or IED (improvised explosive device) contamination.

Today’s very high resolution sonar systems, like the Klein Sys-tem 5500, allow detection of small hostile targets. However, the problem of classifying the target as “new” in cluttered channels and harbors can be very challenging.

This article describes methods for real time and post process-ing comparative techniques to a baseline data set using currently available off-the-shelf software, such as Chesapeake Technologies’ SonarWizMap (SWM).

Side Scan Sonar Invaluable as a Port Protection ToolSide scan sonar systems have been in existence since the

1950s. In the 1970s Westinghouse built the first side scan sonar using complex arrays and phase shift techniques for creating multiple, dynamically range focused beams.

The benefit was improved along track resolution, and 100% seafloor area coverage at high tow speeds exceeding 10 knots. Klein Associates introduced the first commercial multibeam side scan sonar in the 1990s called the System 5500. It is in use today for demanding applications by countless military and government agencies, as well as commercial operators. It is one of the highest performing systems available for small target detection on the seafloor.

Small targets, like the Italian Manta mine, were once consid-ered stealth for most sonar detection. But today’s very high reso-lution Klein 5500 side scan sonar can easily detect these small mine objects or other IEDs.

The problem in channel and port conditioning where a survey is done to detect any new objects that may be a threat, is not the question “will the target be detected” as much as “will the target be recognized”.

Creating a known baseline data-set so change detection com-parative techniques can be applied is the most effective way of “recognizing” new objects that may pose a threat.

Getting a Baseline Data SetThe first order of business to be able to do change detection for

IEDs or MLOs is to collect a clean non-corrupted baseline data set of the channel or harbor area of interest. Proper housekeeping for collection of the side scan sonar data must be observed.

It has been proven by many trials that the maximum optimum range for a high PD (probability of detection) of a small target is about 100 meters. Longer ranges have a lower ping rate resulting in a drop in PD and this can be seen in the graphed results from PD trials by Walton and Uhrich. A 100 meter range scale is a very common mandate by different Navies around the world for Q-Route surveys. My involvement in PD trials over the past 28 years has reinforced that a 100 meter range scale is acceptable most of the time; however PD can be significantly raised by using a 75 meter range scale. This is the preferred range scale for difficult areas of complex geology or high clutter.

The Walton and Uhrich PD graph also confirms that the nadir region, the part of the seafloor that is directly under the side scan sonar towfish, has a very low PD for small target detection. This will require that the survey line spacing selected will ensure that the nadir zone is always viewed off to the side of an adjacent survey line pass.

The last important consideration when selecting line spacing is the requirement to see every part of the seafloor a minimum of 200%. A true target on the seafloor will be repeatable 100% of the time when imaged by the side scan sonar. It is common for midwater anomalies such as schools of fish, etc., to appear as real bottom features. By applying the practice of repeatability, the viewing and comparing of the same area of seafloor data col-lected at different times, it is possible to recognize and eliminate random anomalies from real bottom targets.

Applying repeatability allows the data analyst to classify correctly what are schools of fish and real seafloor geology. Tak-ing into account PD, Nadir zone, and 200% bottom coverage so repeatability can be applied in data interpretation, the optimum lane spacing for the survey will be 65% to 75% of the selected sonar range.

Other Considerations for Collecting a Quality DatasetThe collection of side scan sonar data in channel and harbor

locations present several problems due to the shallow water, and at times, confined areas which can compromise the quality of the dataset.

Wind generated white caps on the surface are a very good acoustic reflector. The surface return clutter from the white caps can significantly corrupt the quality of the dataset to such an extent that it makes it unreliable for small target detection.

The following example shows a small wreck on the seafloor imaged when the sea surface was calm with no white caps and later when the wind picked up producing surface white caps. It is a vivid example of why the surveyor must recognize surface effects and when to make the decision to terminate data collection operations until surface effects abate.

A non-isodensity water column causes the ray path for the outgoing transmit pulse as well as the returning target echoes to follow a distorted or curved path.

Thermo-clines are the most frequent cause of this ray path distortion, but this effect can also be experienced where ever mix-ing of fresh water with seawater occurs, for example where a river is feeding into the ocean. The ray path distortion results in echoes from different parts of the seafloor to arrive back at the towfish transducer at the same moment in time.

These complex echoes from different locations on the seafloor result in a corrupting pattern on the side scan sonar data that can mask and hide small targets. Refraction effects can be minimized at times by simply changing the depth at which the towfish is be-ing flown.

Another common problem encountered when surveying ports or harbors is boat traffic. Passing ship traffic will produce turbulence trails that are very high in acoustic reflectivity. The

Side Scan Sonar Target Comparative Techniques for Port Security ApplicationsBy Garry KozakL-3 Communications Klein Associates, Inc.Salem, NH

(Left) Small wreck imaged in a port area with calm surface. (Right) Same wreck imaged with surface waves.


turbulence shows up as cloudy trails on the sonar data, and any small target like a mine or IED can be masked such that it cannot be detected by the sonar operator or data analyst.

Other problems surveyors must be trained to recognize and deal with that can corrupt the data quality are second sweep returns that are common in harbor or river environments, and distortion due to towfish motion.

Geo-Referencing the Collected DatasetsThe comparison of a baseline

dataset to a later survey requires the datasets to be accurately geo-referenced. Positioning of the side scan sonar towfish by either a layback algorithm or by the use of a towfish mounted USBL (ultra short baseline) acoustic position-ing system is required. GPS X, Y, and Z, offsets need to be accu-rately measured and then entered into the programs where required for the highest possible positioning accuracy of the sonar towfish.

Mosaic Software for Bottom Change DetectionSeveral companies market software for

processing side scan sonar datasets into area mosaics. These software programs were originally created for the mosaic pro-cess, but can be applied for bottom-change

detection to aid in easily recognizing newly added MLO or IED targets. SonarWizMap, from Chesapeake Technologies, is used in this article to illustrate how off-the-shelf

software can easily be used for bottom-change detection. SWM is primarily a mosaic processing software program. It easily and quickly imports sonar files and electronically merges the geo-referenced side scan sonar data into high quality mosaics.

SWM software also includes a feature to allow the importation of geo-referenced navigation charts or satellite imagery as a background layer. SWM has a second fea-

ture that allows the exporting of a survey line or complete mosaic as a high resolu-tion Geo-Tiff. These are the two features used in the technique for bottom change

detection.

SWM for Bottom Change DetectionThe baseline data set will need

to be saved as a high resolu-tion GeoTiff for the comparative technique. SWM allows the user to define the level of resolution the GeoTiff image will be stored at and if set high enough the GeoTiff will have full sonar resolution.

SWM software can be used in a real–time comparison mode where on-line data is compared to an imported baseline dataset (GeoTiff). The Baseline dataset is imported as the base map before the beginning of the new survey, and now as the new data is col-lected it will be mapped in real-

time onto the baseline data set.This technique allows the operator to

easily recognize any newly added targets that could be a threat.

SWM can also be used in a post pro-cessing mode where the new data to be compared to the baseline dataset (GeoTiff) is offset for a side by side comparison.

Offsetting the new line to the baseline allows the analyst by eye to easily recog-nize any new targets that have been placed

Post-processed line offset comparison shows newly detected MLO.


on the bottom. The comparison by eye allows terrain matching which would not be possible by any other technique.

The accompanying example (see image at left) is of an area surveyed and collected for use as the baseline dataset.

An MLO was later dropped and the area was re-surveyed to collect a new dataset for the offset comparison technique. This example shows how easily the new MLO is detected using the comparative technique.

Protect Your Port FacilityThe perfect scenario for bottom change detection at an inland port facility is to have

this automatically performed by advanced software. However, when you realize that the size of many MLO’s are less than 1 meter by 1

meter, for any software to do this automatically, the absolute geo-referencing of every seafloor feature must be repeatable 100% of the time to an accuracy of less than 1 meter.

Experienced side scan sonar operators know that achieving this level of position-ing accuracy of all points on the seafloor is unrealistic. It will not be achieved; making automatic change detection of MLO’s unreliable.

A trained analyst using his eye and the above techniques will have a far higher, more reliable detection rate. IP

L-3 Klein Delivers HarborGuard Systems for US Security Upgrade Program

L-3 Klein Associates recently made the first deliveries of its HarborGuard

Integrated Waterside Security and Surveil-lance System for a major US security upgrade program.

With its ability to provide immediate alerts and updated threat positions, L-3’s HarborGuard System is a key component of new security measures throughout the Unit-ed States that provide continuous coverage and monitoring of all surface activity around dams, with special attention on security zones to protect critical infrastructure.

HarborGuard solves the unique chal-lenges of providing security to dams that have dramatic changes in water levels. Unlike traditional radar systems that need constant mechanical and electrical adjustments to compensate for any water level changes, Har-borGuard features specialized products and software that allows it to easily accommodate changing water levels.

“L-3 Klein’s HarborGuard System is used at a number of critical US infrastructure facilities that require the highest level of con-tinuous surveillance,” said John Cotumaccio, president and general manager of L-3 Klein. “We have a strong footprint in the industry and have gained recognition for provid-ing one of the most cost-effective waterside security systems designed and manufactured in the USA.” IP

New Broker Joins Marcon

Vessel broker Marcon International re-cently added Jon Thielemann to its broker-age staff. Marcon now has seven full-time brokers, plus four administrative staff, tracking over 14,000 vessels and barges world-wide.

Jon began his com-mercial marine industry experience in 2001, involved first in Sales and Purchase/Chartering brokerage for Barry Rogliano Sales USA in the Off-shore Support Vessel markets and Tanker markets with Lone Star R.S. Platou, Inc. in Houston. He spent the past four years as a Tanker derivatives (FFA) broker located in Houston for Imarex Inc. and in New York for Poten Energy Services. IP


Give the readers an overview of your port facility – major tenants, how many people you employ, any areas of specialization, etc.The Port of Toledo is well positioned as an inland distribution point for North American commerce and is home to 15 terminals and a full service shipyard linked to global markets through the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Seaway System. The Port of Toledo handles over 12 million tons of cargo and 700 vessel calls each year, and the Toledo Shipyard is home to one of the only U.S. full service shipyards with graving docks on the lower lakes. Recent property acquisitions have more than doubled the size of the seaport – making it the largest land mass seaport on the Great Lakes.

Some of our major tenants include: CSX Iron Ore and Coal Docks, Midwest Terminals, Shelly Liquid, Westway, BP-Husky, Ironville, Arc Terminal Holdings, Seneca Petroleum, St. Marys Cement, Ironhead, Kraft Foods, Hansen Mueller, Arms Trucking Dock, City of Toledo Salt Dock, Toledo Refinery Co., Lafarge, The Anderson’s, Kulhman Corp., Cargil and ADM Grain.

Your facility is coming up on 60 years of doing business. How would you describe the overall feeling around the port today? Is there a feeling of optimism or pes-simism, and why?The Port of Toledo has a core stable base of customers who take advantage of its geographical proximity – such as North Star BlueScope Steel that imports pig iron. The Port is also able to take advantage of other opportunities because it can handle any type of cargo on the Great Lakes. The Port is flexible enough to adapt to the changing conditions in the marketplace. This is fortunate, as the Port experi-enced a mixed year in 2010, along with much of the rest of the world.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is optimistic with what the future will bring to the Port of Toledo. The following are recent activities that position the Port of Toledo for success in the coming years.

In 2010, the Port Authority acquired two Liebherr LHM 280 mobile harbor cranes to replace two pre-WWII era rail-based cranes. The new cranes are twice as productive as the older cranes and are used to handle bulk, break bulk, project cargo and containers. The cranes modernized our material handling capability at the Port and are the only twin cranes of this type in operation at any U.S. Great Lakes Port. The cranes are also more fuel-efficient, using only 25% of the fuel expended by the existing cranes. The Port Authority also received a new dry bulk

Port of Toledo SpreadsIntermodal WingsFounded in 1955, the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority was the first port authority in Ohio. Today, the group focuses on three initiatives – maritime, aviation, and development – by operating the Port of Toledo, Toledo Express Airport, and To-ledo Executive Airport (also known as Metcalf Field).

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority recently earned its 12th Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award from the Saint Law-rence Seaway Development Corporation for growth in interna-tional cargo during a single season. One of just six to receive this prestigious award, the Port of Toledo showed a 16.34% increase in 2010 port shipments through the Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Its 2010 tonnage number equaled 4,798,487 metric/freight tons.

IP went to Paul Toth, Port Authority President and CEO, to find out the latest.


conveyor last year capable of loading 1000-1500 tons per hour depending on commodity.

This season, the Port Authority also acquired a new Mantsinen RB 200 material handler to replace a third pre-WWII rail-based crane. The material handler is mounted on tracks with the ability to straddle a rail car or truck. The Mantsinen at the Port of Toledo is the largest material handler of its type in North America.

Several infrastructure improve-

ments also occurred at the Port of Toledo last season. We installed a new rail spur at the Toledo Shipyard connecting the facility to the Norfolk Southern system. The reconstruc-tion of George Hardy Drive, the main entrance road into Midwest Terminals and the relocation of St. Lawrence Drive allow for better accessibility to, from, and through Port terminals. On-dock rail at Midwest Terminals was also reconstructed and enhanced allowing for more rail cars to be stored on site and for more efficient move-ment of rail cars throughout the site.

The Port of Toledo is the most modern Port on the Great Lakes, due in part to the improvements and equipment acquisitions we have been able to make over the past season. The Port Authority recently launched an interactive online resource – the first and only of its kind - at www.tourtheport.com. The tool provides detailed mapping and virtual tours of the Port’s facilities, equipment and capabilities.

What is it about your port’s location that makes it so beneficial to tenants and waterway traffic?The Port of Toledo is centrally located within the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Seaway inland waterway system. The Port is positioned at a national crossroads of four railroads (NS, CSX,

CN, Wheeling & Lake Erie) and two transcontinental highways (I-75 and the Ohio Turnpike I-80/90). Forty-three percent of the U.S. industrial market and forty-seven percent of the Canadian market are located within a one day drive (500-mile radius) of Toledo. The Port has draughts of approximately 30 feet, which is deep enough to accommodate St. Lawrence Seaway traffic. You seem to emphasize intermodal

accommodations at your port. Do you find that important when courting new clients?In today’s economic climate, potential clients are looking for new and improved supply chain solutions. The Port of Toledo can accommodate any mode – rail, highway, waterway and pipeline converge – to offer any type of transportation solution necessary. Though not a traditional link to water-way transportation, the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority also manages Toledo Express Airport, home to BAX Global, one of three global air cargo integrators in the U.S. BAX Global is a subsidiary of DB Schenker.

On the subject of courting new tenants and clients, do you have an entire department devoted to develop-ing business? What types of potential tenants are you currently targeting?The Toledo-Lucas County Port Au-thority works in conjunction with our marine terminal operators to develop new business at the Port. We value our partnerships with our terminal operators and create a climate that makes it easy for shippers to utilize our regional transportation assets. Finish this sentence: When you come to Toledo, be sure to catch a... Toledo Walleye hockey game and hear the blast of an authentic Great Lakes

Freighter horn when our team scores a goal. The horn was donated from the Willis B. Boyer Museum Ship, which is on display and is open to the public on the Maumee River in the Port of Toledo. The Willis B. Boyer celebrates its centennial anniversary over the 4th of July weekend this summer. Do you feel the people in your imme-diate community understand the role ports like yours play in their everyday lives? Do you expend a lot of effort in trying to be visible in the community, sponsoring events and things of that nature - and does it pay off?Our community understands and embraces the Port of Toledo. Local industries rely on our Port’s ability to handle their cargo. Regional farmers deliver grain to Toledo’s silos for international destinations, our utility companies rely on coal exported from the Port of Toledo to generate electricity, and steel mills import raw material for production to serve the automotive and appliance industry. In addition to handling cargo, the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority also serves our local air passenger travel community via our management of Toledo Express Airport. We are

also proud to offer several services to our community.

The Port Authority operates a Community Economic Development Initiative Program. This grant and loan program is designed to assist commu-nity based organizations in creating new or revitalizing existing commer-cial structures that will attract or retain businesses in Northwest, Ohio and facilitate new employment opportuni-ties. Grants and loans are awarded to economic development projects undertaken by eligible, neighborhood-

based organizations. Our Diversified Contractors Ac-

celerator Program (DCAP) began in late 2010 and provides financial solu-tions to encourage increased partici-pation by minority and women-owned contractors in publicly bid work and privately funded construction projects. There is a unique opportunity in our community to bridge the gap between identifying and deploying the ap-propriate and required contractors for publicly bid projects. DCAP bridges this gap by identifying contractors and providing access to various forms of capital for contractors unable to obtain these resources through traditional sources. DCAP has been a vision of the Port Authority for several years and we are incredibly appreciative of our partners at the City of Toledo and The University of Toledo for assisting us in bringing this program to the community.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority also operates a robust brownfields clean-up program. We currently have approximately 300 acres of waterfront property available for redevelopment from this program. We also purchased the historic Jeep Parkway property last year as part of this program, with the sole intent of

returning this valuable parcel to the stream of development and allowing it to once again become a produc-tive asset of our community. Due to our strategic partnerships, Jeep Parkway will be ready for redevelop-ment within 24 months and we have already been approached by several interested parties.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority also recently launched the BetterBuildings Northwest Ohio pro-gram where building owners can save on energy costs while increasing the

value of their investment. Through BetterBuildings, owners of virtually every type of building are eligible for low-cost financing to pay for high-efficiency improvements to their facilities and building systems. The goal is to make cost-effective energy practices and technology more accessible to individuals, busi-nesses and governmental entities across Northwest Ohio – while also helping transform the way whole communities use energy.

What bit of technology or equipment could revolution-ize the port and waterway industry, if someone would only get off their duff and invent it?We feel that the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Seaway System can play a key role in the future of our Nation’s transportation policy. Our inland waterway system is currently under-utilized, but provides direct access to the nation’s heartland. Our recent activities have positioned us to revolutionize the Port of Toledo as a leader in the Great Lakes for handling all types of cargo. We are proud of our history of leadership in the Great Lakes as the first Port Authority in the State of Ohio and the 8th Foreign Trade Zone in the nation.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority prides itself on being innovative and our recent activities in the have positioned us to revolutionize the Port of Toledo. When needs arise, we develop modern solu-tions, such as the resources at www.tourtheport.com.

A modernization of the entire industry is truly needed, including the concepts of improved customer service, greater on-time performance and predictabil-ity, and environmental responsibility. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is committed to working with our partners to embrace these concepts and see them become reality at the Port of Toledo. IP


BOARD OF DIRECTORSChairman

G. Opie RollisonMarshall & Melhorn

Vice ChairmanBrian H. Bucher

PNC Bank

Jerry ChablerJerry Chabler & Associates

William J. CarrollHighland Jeb Co.

Bernard H. “Pete” Culp

Margarita De LeonBRAVO Magazine

Richard P. GabelInt’l Longshoremen’s Union

Dr. Lloyd A. JacobsThe University of Toledo

Thomas W. Palmer Marshall & Melhorn

Nadeem S. Salem New York Life

A. Bailey Stanbery Stanbery Homes, Inc.

John S. SzuchFifth Third Bank

James M. TuschmanOf Counsel, Barkan & Robon Ltd.

S.S. WILLIS B. BOYER PREPARES FOR 100TH ANNIVERSARYCELEBRATION DURING JULY 4 WEEKEND

July 1, 2011 is the centennial of the S.S. Willis B. Boyer Mu-seum Ship and also marks the

date she will be rechristened to Col. James M. Schoonmaker. This event marks the beginning of a three-day Centennial Celebration sponsored by the Toledo Blade, which will include a visit from the Privateer Schooner Lynx, a historic Toledo Club box-ing event aboard the ship and the annual Red White Kaboom fireworks presentation.

On July 1, 2011, the Boyer, wear-ing her original Shenango Furnace Co. livery, will be rechristened to her original namesake, Col. James M. Schoonmaker, by James M. Schoon-maker II and his wife Treecie, at the exact moment his mother Gretchen V. Schoonmaker christened the vessel 100 years earlier. Also in attendance for the rechristening will be William P. Snyder III, grandson of the vessel’s original owner William P. Snyder who was best friends with the colonel and thus named his flagship after him. The christening will officially mark the beginning of the three-day Centennial Celebration and the downtown Toledo Fourth of July festivities. IP

In 2001, naval architect Robert Banks Hull was asked by his bosses at Northrup-Grumman to design a fast, shallow-draft attack boat that could rapidly engage targets near

shore for the Naval War College. In short order, Hull came up with a lethal, three-hulled vessel called a trimaran. The Naval War College nicknamed her, Street Fighter.

The brass at the War College asked Northrop Grum-man and Hull to present his design in person in Provi-dence, Rhode Island on September 12, 2001.

“We never got there,” says Hull. “Because of the 9/11 attacks, the meeting was postponed and eventually cancelled. Street Fighter never got wet.”

But Hull couldn’t let her go. So he brought her to life in his new series of nautical thrillers called the Conspiracy Series.

The staff at the Department of Homeland Security is hard at work looking for terrorists at border access points and ports around the country. Since terrorists aren’t re-quired to wear a scarlet letter “T” on their jackets, spotting them can be a little tricky. Yet, the DHS is out there ever vigilant watching – and waiting.

“It’s my job to help the folks at Homeland Security think creatively when it

comes to ports and harbors,” he says. “There is simply too much traffic in out to monitor it all effectively. They know it and our enemies know it.”

His first two books in the series, The Angel Island Conspiracy and The Street Fighter Conspiracy, are so grounded in fact their plausibility seems treasonous.

“As a sailor and nautical engineer who did a stint in the Coast Guard, my concern is with our ports and harbors,” says Hull. “A fishing boat with a thermonuclear device manned by people who had no plans for the fu-ture could sail into New York’s Upper Bay or into the Port of Los Angeles and do some very bad things.”

Writing novels also gave him a chance to bring his trimaran design back to life.

“I first designed the Street Fighter-type vessel when I was living in St. Augustine, FL. I then resurrected her for our submission to The Naval War College in 2001. It was such a thrill to bring her to life in The Street Fighter Conspiracy and an even bigger thrill to finally put her through her paces – albeit on paper.”

Hull shares his thoughts on port security, the bad guys, and more in this IP interview.


When did the ideas for these characters and plot points first start bouncing around in your head? When did you start the actual writing process and how long did it take?In December of 2008, I started to write my remem-brances of my life growing up on San Francisco Bay. I got bored with the exercise and decided that mocking my attempts at being a didactic “tour guide” was called for. So, I began to have a little fun with it by fictionalizing people and events. The attempt proved much more entertaining and gave me a chance to bring irony and comedy to bear while maintaining my aloof position as a story-teller and liar. In other words, I found I could get a message across with the vehicle of fiction as the framework and the familiar old real places as the settings. Now, I am quite taken with fiction writing and novels as a way to tell about life’s struggles both silly and serious without being “preachy” or boringly “Talk Show” angry. Working at a salaried job, and my wife’s loosing battle with cancer, it took me till the spring of 2010 for TAIC to be published and released.

Give the readers a brief overview of how your trimaran concept boat would help fight terrorism in ports and harbors. Why did you call it Street Fighter? Were any prototypes built? Is there any chance it could still see the light of day in the future, if not for the government, maybe in the private sector?My Trimaran design is small, light, fast, maneuver-

able and beachable. It is designed for actions in tight “Choke Point” locations. It’s shallow draft and water jet propulsion make it ideal for breaching nets and hopping logs and other obstructions, natural or man made. In other words, perfect for harbors and ports. Street Fighter was a name coined first by the Naval War College in the late 1990’s for such a vessel as I describe above. No prototypes were ever built because the Navy didn’t like SF’s small size, so they abandoned Street Fighter for what they are now building, LCS, a 400 foot ship not at all an agile back-alley fighter but an expensive “Frigate” type. The Navy, with some regret, is now looking back at Street Fighter, once again. Private sector? Possibly as a fast offshore supply vessel or as a Coast Guard Cutter.

The first two books in the series are based at huge coastal ports. What about America’s inland port system? How vulnerable are those small and mid-sized facilities, and what specific types of attacks do you think are most probable at those sites?Remember, the Port of Pascagoula is a small port like many on the Mississippi. But coast ports allow a means of escape into open waters inland ports do not. In TAIC, the perpetrators were not going to escape out the Golden Gate but attempt to blend into the crowd, so to speak. And this means of escape is, in reality, the only viable way….provided escape and not suicide is in the game plan at all. With inland ports, the opportunities to block major waterways are endless. This is not to mention the

opportunities to ignite flammable cargo loading centers. Listen to me, I sound like a terrorist, but, of course, I must, as a an espionage novelist, find dynamic yet plausible ways for my villains to make their “living.”

What do those types of inland port facilities need to do better or differently, in order to better protect themselves and their tenants?Guards who have suspicious noses like police dogs. Shore side patrols in small, armed RHIB boats like the Coast Guard is employing. Yet, we can’t expect the CG to do it all. We have to hire trained folks to protect and preserve our own properties and facilities. This is the price of EF-FECTIVELY fighting this strange new war.

Without giving anything away, do you have any plans for future installments of the series to be set in the inland sector?My third novel, now in progress, is set on a lonely stretch of the California Coast appropriately called The Lost Coast. In this location in 1986, Travis Blake and Carol Whitley, the Coast Guard, Orga-nized Crime and the Russians face off. However, I have a plot in the works which involves the inland waters of the Sacramento River Delta and the Navy’s “Ghost Fleet” located in a spot called Suisun Bay.

One of your goals is to alert the folks at Homeland Security and the military in general to the kinds

Hull’s Novels Tackle Terrorist Threats to Ports and HarborsIP Interview with Author Robert Banks Hull


of inventive attacks they may not have considered before. Do you have contact with anyone in positions of power, and are they paying attention?I think we need a civilian counterpart to The Naval War College to develop hypothetical situations and come up with solutions for same. That’s kinda what an espionage novelist does and you know if a little ol’ writer can come up with a situ, the bad guys have, too. I do not presently have any contacts with power players but I think they could get allot out of reading my first two novels. As I outlined above, I have found a role, a vehicle, to spread the word of awareness and wariness and I can only hope it does some good. If I were a politician I would have the skills that the novelist has for telling stories but not the propensity to make them very interesting.

It also can work both ways. If your plots and ideas can suggest ways to protect against attacks to those in power, can’t they also spark the imagina-tion of the Bad Guys, too?As above, if I have thought about scenarios of terrorist disasters you can bet the bad guys got the brainstorm, first, that is, if they are worth their salt at their chosen profession. Remember, Pearl Harbor took two parties to make it a success for the Adversaries: A gullible, unwitting victim and an intelligent, opportunistic evil doer. A violent crime always needs a VICTIM to be successful. We must not be the unwitting victim, this time, walking down dark alleys with hundred dollar bills or battleships hanging out of our pockets.

Speaking of these hypothetical Bad Guys, do you think inland ports are on their radar as targets already? Have there already been port attacks, or maybe just planned attacks, thwarted that the public might not know about?Inland ports or major coastal facilities, the terror-ist’s job is to cripple our resolve and confidence and divert our financial resources, not necessarily to win a physically strategic battle. Their war is one of attrition against our very minds, not of immedi-ate major military conquests. The World Trade Center was not an important military installation but a MAJOR edifice representative of very our way of life and New York, a symbol of the strength of our culture and economy. The idea was to shake the foundations of our collective souls and make us spend billions on trying to prevent future attacks. Any target that can do this is a target of opportunity for the terrorist. If not the Golden Gate Bridge, maybe Hoover Dam or the Arch in St. Louis or the battleship Missouri.

As a designer, why do you think it is better to con-ceive a new vessel using old fashioned pen and paper, rather than using computer software?No. It is not so much the means as the end product. What I say in TSFC is that any means that nudges the brain’s juices and creates an atmo-sphere of inspiration and the potential to give birth

to great designs will work. I am shocked that computers and sophisticated software now al-low the freedom to create great works, yet great works are not now coming forward as they should. We must examine our souls and find ways to spark the thought patterns toward great notions and inventions using whatever tools that allow us to remain inspired in the process. The tools must only be the means and not the end.

Where can folks find your books?Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc., or they can visit my website and

get the 24-7 phone number. A real live operator is always there to take orders. Both novels are also available for Nook, Kindle, and iPad.

Is there anything you’d like to add?I am no expert on port security and it is not my goal to be one. My stories take place on the water as that has always been my life’s venue. And the crazy places a boat bum like me goes and the nuts he meets and the stories that develop as a result are based on my own questions and confusion of what is right or wrong, good or evil and why we each choose to face the world in a given way. This is what fascinates me. The dichotomy that lies deep in our souls and makes or breaks us, Shakespeare’s tragic flaw or Conrad’s seas full of tortured souls. Our struggles within ourselves and the irony of existence are the scenarios of my mind’s sounding board, the written word. IP


Calendar of Events

Aug. 30 - Sept. 2Tenn-Tom Waterway Development ConferenceGrand Hotel, Point Clear, AL.www.tenntom.org

September 11-15American Association of Port AuthoritiesSeattle, WAwww.aapa-ports.org

September 13-16SmartRivers ConferenceHilton Riverside, New Orleanswww.smartrivers.org, www.pianc.us

September 19-21National Waterways ConferenceFort Worth, TXwww.waterways.org

October 3-5Arkansas Regional Waterways ConferenceLittle Rock, ARwww.waterway.dina.org

October 5-7American Waterways OperatorsThe Barclay New Yorkwww.americanwaterways.com

October 17-18Tennessee River Valley AssociationGatlinburg, TNwww.trva-tcwc.org

October 19-218th Annual Waterways SymposiumOmni William Penn, Pittsburgh, PAwww.waterwayscouncil.org/wci.htm

October 31 - November 3National Assn. of Flood and Stormwater Management AgenciesSt. Petersburg, FLwww.nafsma.org

November 8-10MS World Trade Center / Water Resources Assn. Intermodal and Freight ConferenceNatchez Grand Hotelwww.mswtc.org

Nov. 30 - Dec. 2WorkBoat ShowMorial Convention Center, New Orleanswww.workboatshow.com

December 1 IRPT Board of Directors MeetingNew Orleans Board of Tradewww.irpt,net

December 2 IRPT Membership BreakfastMothers Next Door, New Orleanswww.irpt,net

December 8-10Mississippi Valley Flood Control AssociationAnnual MeetingWestin Canal PlaceNew Orleans, LA

2011Soy Transportation Coalition Signs MOU with Panama CanalOn May 9, the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) hosted the luncheon, “The Panama Canal Expansion: Is U.S. Agriculture Prepared?” in Washington, D.C. Special guest Alberto Alemán Zubieta, administrator of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), provid-ed an update on the canal’s expansion.

At the conclusion of the luncheon, Administra-tor Alemán and Ed Ulch, a soybean farmer from Solon, Iowa, and Chairman of the STC, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to share information and perform joint promotional events in the effort to raise awareness of the Panama Canal expansion and its potential impact on U.S. agriculture. While the ACP has signed MOUs with numerous port authorities – both U.S. and international – today’s signing was the first occasion such an agreement was signed with an organization representing a commodity or product that utilizes the canal.

“U.S. farmers are beginning to realize that, to remain economically viable, it is necessary to not only increase supply and increase demand, we also need to improve the transportation system that connects the two,” explains Ulch. “We applaud the investments the people of Panama are making to expand the canal. However, if the United States does not make corresponding investments in our infrastructure, the expanded canal may become a missed opportunity for agricultural commodities and other products produced in this country.”

To learn more, visit www.soytransportation.org. IP


Associated Terminals announced the promotion of Todd Fuller to President of the company. Todd joined Associated Terminals more than 12 years

ago and has witnessed and contributed greatly to the tremendous growth and success the company has achieved over this time. Over the past two years, Todd has taken on a steadily increas-ing level of authority and responsibility for the overall

management of the company. He has excelled through an extremely challenging period for the maritime industry and has played an integral role in positioning the company for continued success.

President David Fennelly becomes Director of Associated Terminals, as well as continuing his role as a Director of its sister company, Turn Services. In this new role, David will primarily focus on strate-gic growth opportunities for both companies, while continuing to focus on maritime industry initiatives and awareness.

In other company news, the K. Robertson was christened at the Chalmette, LA Slip on a breathtaking South Louisiana afternoon as the team members of Associated Terminals in Chalmette cel-

ebrated their newest crane barge at the Port of St. Bernard. The K. Robertson, named in honor of Se-nior Operations Manager Kerry Robertson, is AT’s fifth Gottwald crane. At the ceremony, President David Fennelly spoke of the addition to the fleet of floating cranes and of Kerry’s dedication to the As-sociated Terminals family. Brian Deslatte has been selected as Manager of the K. Robertson and was presented with the company colors and U. colors by Todd Fuller, Senior Vice President. Deacon Richard Henderson provided the blessing and Mary Rob-ertson, Kerry’s wife, christened the vessel with one swing of the champagne bottle. After the ceremony, a reception was held on the dock. Everyone enjoyed a great meal and views of the bustling activity on the Mississippi River.

During the first six months of this fiscal year, the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund took in $773.2 million in revenue, including interest, and transferred $12.5 million to federal agencies, leaving a trust fund surplus of $6.4 billion. President Obama’s FY 2012 budget taps the trust fund for only $758.2 million, while widespread dredging needs continue to be neglected.

The first of three large pieces was delivered by Bennett Trucking to the Federal Marine Terminals dock at the Port of Milwaukee in late April. Ceres Consulting moved the project cargo by river barge to the Gulf for loading to vessel. The three Wiscon-sin manufactured pieces were headed to Namibia, Africa, to convert waste to usable products.

PortVision’s new TriMode workboat fleet manage-ment and business intelligence service extends the company’s PortVision AIS-based offering to include two-way cellular and satellite service for messaging and position reports. It uses least-cost routing to cut overall expenses in half as compared to legacy satellite-only alternatives.

PortVision’s TriMode service seamlessly integrates least-cost routing across three communi-cation paths, including:

• AIS for real-time reporting of the fleet and other AIS-enabled vessels when near shore or in-port;

• Cellular for near-real-time reporting at very low cost whenever a vessel is within a cellular coverage area;

• Satellite for guaranteed reporting and text messaging whenever cellular is unavailable.

The result is a fleet management system that provides valuable operational and reporting benefits while significantly cutting the costs of legacy satellite-only solutions, since fleet owners can now also use more economical AIS and cellular service that, in many cases, is accessible over 75 percent of the time.

PortVision TriMode customers realize all of the benefits of the company’s PortVision Plus and Port-Vision Advantage platforms in a single, integrated offering. In addition to guaranteed vessel position reporting, customers can use the TriMode service to

create e-mail alerts, view arrival/departure history, and tap into PortVision’s data warehouse, which processes 40 million vessel positions daily and ar-chives over 15 billion arrival, departure, and vessel movement records spanning the last five years.

PortVision can be used to improve safety and efficiency, streamline vendor and resource coordination, handle all traffic scheduling, dispatch and management, perform integrated demurrage reporting and analysis, enhance market intelligence, and accelerate and improve incident response.

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Devel-opment Council has elected Bruce Windham President. Windham also serves as Administrator of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Develop-ment Authority. He most recently served as Vice President of Regulatory and Government Affairs for Drummond Company, of Jasper, Alabama.

Fred Hansard, Demopolis, Alabama Yacht Basin in Demopolis, currently serves as Chairman of the Tennessee-Tombigee Waterway Develop-ment Council. The Council also elected three new members to its Board of Directors:

• Josh Tubbs, Marshall County, Kentucky Economic Development;

• Stephen Surles, Regional Field Manager – Economic Development, Tennessee Valley Authority in Tupelo, MS;

• Joy Foy, Asset Management – Mississippi Development Authority in Jackson, MS.

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Devel-opment Council, a non-profit organization, was established in 1984, in anticipation of the completion of the waterway. The Council’s mission is to provide a forum for the multitude of public and private inter-ests in the waterway. The Council, which comple-ments the activities of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority, is governed by an independent board of directors and officers elected by its membership. The organization’s 200+ dues-paying members represent 15 states.

The River Region Economic Development Initiative, the marketing conglomerate comprised of St. James, St. Charles, and St. John the Baptist Parishes and the Port of South Louisiana, hosted its 20th Annual River Parishes Industry Apprecia-tion Reception.

The event recognized the economic impact resident industry has on the River Region. Industry managers were treated to a breakfast at Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, where they were welcomed and thanked by Parish Presidents Dale Hymel, V.J. St. Pierre, and Natalie Robottom and the Port’s Director of Economic Development, Linda Prudhomme (on behalf of Joel Chaisson, the Port’s Executive Director).

The event was highlighted by remarks from guest speaker Peggy Hatch, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. In her presentation, Ms. Hatch addressed depart-mental budget measures, efficiency, new initiatives, and Louisiana’s environmental improvement. IP

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THE LAST WORD: Bruce Lambert(continued from p.24)

If you could make those in power at the local, state, and federal levels understand one thing about the inland port and waterways industry, what would it be?I would echo what others have said: the waterways are important, they play a vital role in supporting the US economy, and the decline in interest in sup-porting these investments clearly demonstrates people don’t care about the “old economy” that their “new economy” depends upon to function. I would focus on the system, as clearly the invest-ment in one political district influences not only the traffic in other districts, but also the availability of funds for projects.

In a way, I sometimes believe the political so-lution ignores its obligation: recognizing a promise made – a commitment that should endure beyond the next election – to our grandchildren that we are committed to building a world for them that they will grow and prosper. Political analyst James Car-ville stated that the best time to plant an oak tree is 25 years ago and the second best time is today. I think we need to invest in a few oak trees now! If you make the general public understand one thing about the inland ports and waterways indus-try, what would it be?Well, I know that my kids understand the impor-tance of infrastructure, as one majored in supply chain management while the second one has commented on funding and policy issues related to various projects. I find it hard to discuss this with my mother, who simply tells people I have a job she does not understand about transportation, but at least I am doing something. In some ways, the story is easy to sell, just don’t know if people want to understand the message that transportation is more than the truck on the road or the t-shirt from China.

Basically, inland waterways are a part of a system that supports the American economy – transportation moves as people demand products in different areas or times. Also, as the system is fairly old, it’s time to reinvest in it, much like one would their house or car. What’s your favorite?Movie: The Last StarfighterBook: The Bible and whatever 3-4 books I am reading at any one momentBand or Artist: Pink FloydTV Show: Any college football gameSport: Martial arts (I am a Judo black belt and am studying BJJ). What piece of equipment has not been invented yet, but will revolutionize the inland port industry when it is?A self-loading, environmentally-sustainable, 50-

knot tow configuration that can safely hop over underfunded locks and dams while controlling invasive species and improving water quality. I wonder if MARAD has some money to fund the vessel’s construction, or do we need an exception to the Jones Act? If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?My humility. What was the first concert you ever attended?At fourteen, I attended a Kiss concert in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I never was a big Kiss fan, but I did not want to pass up the opportunity to see them preform live. My mother was scared that I was going to be trampled to death (this was the week after the tragic Who concert in Cincin-nati). Needless to say, the heavy police presence controlled the crowds and I had a great time! Give us your thoughts on the current state of the inland port and waterway industry, where it has been, and where it is going. How can a publication like Inland Port Magazine help?When people look at the tonnage numbers, and they see total traffic levels changing fairly slowly over the past decade, they forget that waterways remains a critical component of the US economy. And the idea of what the role of waterways is often gets overshadowed by others who do not neces-sarily understand the unique transportation needs of the inland industry. (People often are amazed when I tell them the US is the largest inland water-ways system, ranked by tonnage.)

For example, the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) coded most inland waterway move-ments as multimodal, but did not do the same with the other modes. This makes it hard to tell people that waterways are important when they see declines in the top-level numbers without understanding why.

Clearly, education is the first step towards making people aware of that some action is required. As I said, I know that my kids understand the importance of infrastructure, but to get more people to understand the needs continues to eclipse our ability to respond.

This means we will have to develop regional or multimodal solutions that benefit the system. Such thinking would recognize the funding issues we face, but also encourage more collaborative solu-tions will be more important in the future.

Already, I am seeing a framework of action that looks like:

1. Bottleneck solutions that involve public-private partnerships,

2. Maintenance and localized capacity expan-sion as projects are redeveloped,

3. New system capacity or meeting legacy obligations for new construction. IP


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The L

ast W

ordA Revealing Look at Industry Leaders

How did you become involved in the inland waterways industry?Growing up in South Louisiana, it’s hard not to notice the barges, etc., when you drive around the state. But I really learned the industry when I joined the Institute for Water Resources. What is your opinion on the various industry organizations and their effectiveness?Well, I will start with ITTS, simply as a repre-sentative organization. We are a multi-state research organization for the State Depart-ments of Transportation in the Southeast designed to assist members in understanding the role of freight shipments in the region.

At the same time, other groups devel-oped either around industry or geography that are also advocating for more attention and funding for infrastructure projects. The irony is that the US has continued to spend less on infrastructure as a share of total gov-ernment spending, and given other budgetary pressures, this trend will likely continue.

Unless someone can demonstrate the need for infrastructure investment as a long-term investment in America, we will continue to struggle with finding adequate funding and support. Each of these groups are needed to reach out to educate decision makers. Brag on your family a bit.My wife is my lucky charm, and has traveled with me through many jobs and changes. Recently, she enrolled in school to complete her bachelor’s degree. (I can’t say she has really enjoyed taking Algebra for the first time in 25 years but she has done well.) She is a better tennis player and normally beats me in backgammon. She does not think it strange anymore when I stop the car to take a picture of a canal, train, truck or something else that strikes my fancy. I guess when your relationship started as a blind date for an LSU football game (they beat Georgia) it can only go up!

Our two daughters (notice the grey hair) both graduated this May (one from college and the other from high school). My oldest daughter is a very accomplished musician, who can play just about any instrument (she specializes in the bass). My other daughter enjoys dance and will lifeguard this summer before heading off to University of Louisiana at Lafayette. What was your favorite project or assignment you’ve been involved in during your career, and why?Tough choices, as it seems like every job had one shining project that sustained me. When I was at the Port of Long Beach, I revised the port’s tariff from a weight or metric charge to a flat container rate. The new tariff reduced

the paper load and sped up the billing pro-cess, so everyone was happy.

While working at the Federal High-way Administration, I was the first project manager of the Freight Analysis Framework and received the US DOT’s Secretary’s Award for Meritorious Service. At the Corps, I had the privilege to serve as the PIANC Secretary.

Currently, my work on ITTS has allowed me to travel across the Southeast to learn more about its economy and transporta-tion needs.

What was your least favorite?Probably cleaning stalls when I was younger. (When you grow up on a farm, you start working when you start walking!) My father al-ways stressed that no man is too big to do the jobs that needed to be done. That is a lesson that has stayed with me ever since. (Of course, he did not clean the stalls – maybe there is something to this manage-ment thing!) What’s the last song that played on your CD or MP3 player?I really listening to everything. I also enjoy books on tape, but I can only listen to them when no one in my family is within earshot! During one long family vacation drive, I had to wait until everyone fell asleep before I put on Moby Dick (as if it would not have put them to sleep anyway). What accomplishments – professional and personal – are you most proud of?Personally and Professionally, it would have to be relationships. I am most proud of my family. My parents raised us (myself, my brother and my sister) well. I can only hope my daughters will say the same for me when they get older.

I would be remiss, however, if I did not acknowledge those people whose patient support mentored me when I was still starting out in my career. Any accomplishment I have every achieved has depended upon someone supporting me (and occasionally challenging me) in some manner. In the end, it is always people that matter the most. If you could go back and tell your teenage self one thing, what would that be?

Other than invent Google, Facebook, and a few other companies like in Hot Tub Time Machine, I would tell a younger me simply: “Don’t change anything. It will be alright if you passionately do the things you enjoy.”

Without naming names to protect the in-nocent (or guilty), what is the single most unbelievable thing you have seen on a project in your career?Given that I have spent most of my time on the research, planning and policy side, I can’t say that I have seen anything really outstand-ing, except for maybe a few office pranks that went awry or damaged equipment. What did you want to be when you grow up?My father is a veterinarian. As I grew up on a thoroughbred broodmare farm, he taught me quite a bit about horses, genetics, and horse-manship. When I enrolled at LSU, I planned on attending Vet School and ultimately doing equine research at a post-doctoral level. Instead I earned a degree in agricultural economics with a focus on international trade. Since my little brother later became a veterinarian, I guess I was off the hook. Tell us something no one knows about you.My dad gave me a mandolin when I was fairly young, which I have played on and off for years (more off than on). In Virginia, I played in a small bluegrass band, but I have played very little since moving to Louisiana. Out of sheer embarrassment, I have picked the mandolin once again. (continued on p.23)

Bruce LambertExecutive Director, Institute for Trade and Transportation Studies (ITTS)

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