The US Department of Transportation is proposing the expansion of inland and coastal ‘marine highways’ as low-carbon domestic freight alternative to road and rail.
The Department’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) says ships and barges could be used to complement road and rail transport along designated corridors linked to key ports, providing an environmentally friendly and relatively quick freight transit. Benefits also include higher fuel efficiency, less road congestion and safer transport of hazardous materials.
MARAD’s Marine Highways proposals sees designated shipping channels tying in with existing ports and transport networks. Such long-used marine freight channels in Europe are a model, Matsuda said.
Some road and rail interests have criticised the idea as a job killer for their industries but proponents of the Marine Highways concept reject such claims. US freight volumes are expected to grow up to 70 per cent in the next ten years by one estimate, and if so, all modes of freight transport will have headroom to grow.
It is also argued that rail and marine freight channels complement each other, with each needing the other to link many ports and freight destinations.
MARAD Administrator Dave Matsuda says the US government has earmarked $7 million in initial funding to promote further investment in marine-highway infrastructure and existing operators.
Read the full story at Wired.com