Marine Highway Conference Slated for April, Outcome Important for Boating Industry, Environmentalists and Shipping Industry

There are more reasons today to ship freight by boat than ever before. Not only are direct costs lower than truck, rail or plane, but so are indirect costs. And these indirect costs are many. The diesel fuel exhaust that trucks spew out is one of the leading causes of cancer. Trucks are also hard on the roads. A report from the Institute for Global Maritime Studies indicates that although trucks account for only 10 percent of all miles traveled, they are responsible for 75 percent of pavement maintenance costs. And large trucks are very dangerous. According to the United States Department of Transportation, one in nine fatal collisions in 2008 involved a large truck.

These reasons to shift shipping from truck to boat and how to get the most from your shipping dollar will be discussed in detail at The Seventh Annual Journal of Commerce North American Marine Highways & Logistics Conference to be held in Baltimore, Maryland on April 6-7, 2010.

The presenters at the conference include U.S. Secretary Ray LaHood; U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation; former USDOT Secretary, Mary Peters; and Deputy Secretary Mort L. Downey.

Frederick J. Harris, President, General Dynamics NASSCO (San Diego, California) will also speak. NASSCO designs and builds oil tankers, ferries, containerships, oceanographic research ships, hospital ships and fast combat ships.

Also there will be Stephen Pepper, President, Humboldt Maritime Logistics (Humboldt, California). That company has designed an environmental friendly coastal container-on-barge service. With that service, companies can not only reduce their local shipping costs, but also gain greater access to West Coast markets.

For companies that are in the marine and boating industry, the conference presents a rare opportunity to meet key industry and government decision makers. From them, maritime companies will also get a chance to find out first hand what political obstacles the coastal shipping industry faces.

Companies, organizations and government agencies with speakers at the event include the Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Institute for Global Maritime Studies Inc. the Norfolk Tug Company, the Hamilton Port Authority, McKeil Marine, Humboldt Logistics, Detroit Windsor Truck Ferry, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Massachusetts Seaport Advisory Council, Det Norske Veritas (Americas) Inc., the U.S. Navy Office of Strategic Mobility and Combat Logistics, Coastwise Coalition, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, University of Delaware, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Virginia Port Authority, Center for Ports and Waterways, Texas Transportation Institute, AEP River Operations, Richmond MPO, Port of Progreso, Mexico.

This year’s conference is sponsored by the U.S. Maritime Administration, General Dynamics NASSCO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the I-95 Corridor Coalition, the Conference Center at the Maritime Institute, the American Public University, Masters, Mates & Pilots, MEBA, the Propeller Club International and the New Bedford Port.