MID-AMERICA PORTS STUDY FACILITY PLANNING

The Mid-America Ports Study is a 16-month research and development effort, jointly funded by the Maritime Administration (MarAd), U.S. Department of Commerce, and 17 participating states to study the port facilities and waterborne commodity flows of 17 states in the Mississippi River Basin and the Gulf Coast area. The overall objectives of this study are to: identify and assess conditions, problems and needs associated with the development of approximately 15,000 miles of waterways comprising the inland river port system; recommended solutions to river port and related problems; and formulate policies, programs, general plans, and specific recommendations for federal, state and local governmental action. The study got underway in May 1977. This paper addresses that portion of the study dealing with port facility needs and development. The procedure employed in developing the MarAd computerized inventory of approximately 2,000 port facilities are described, along with the field techniques used in site visits to terminal facilities. The data contained in the facility inventory, supplemented by operational data obtained during the field visits, will be used to estimate the existing capacity of the port system to handle, separately, 17 different facility types. Towards this end, computer programs for estimating port handling capacity are being prepared. A primary objective of these efforts is to develop a methodology and system which can handle a large database for study forecasting and is suitable for subsequent updating purposes by interested parties.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of Second International Waterborne Transportation Conference, October 5-7, 1977, New York City. Available April, 1978, approximately 750 pages, Cost: to ASCE members $15.00; non-members $30.00. Also available from Engineering Societies Library.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Carman, J
  • Rosselli, A T
  • Miller, Marc L
  • Van Cook, C F
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Pagination: 20 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer programs; Development; Inland water transportation; Intermodal terminals; Marine terminals; Marine transit; Port capacity; Port operations; Port structures; Ports; River ports; Transportation planning
• Old TRIS Terms: Computer programs (Ports); Inland waterways transportation; Terminal facilities
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Public Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00170262
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Society of Civil Engineers
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 14 1978 12:00AM