IRPT to Sign Agreement with Panama Canal Authority

Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT) will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) in Panama. This Memorandum of Understanding is important to all of our inland river ports, terminals, and river-borne transportation services and will recognize the importance of promoting waterway shipping.

IRPT promotes foreign and domestic commerce, economic development and job creation throughout the inland waterway system and has been working to bring container on barge (COB) shipping to the Mississippi River and its tributaries. As this project moves forward, the parties will promote the use of the Panama Canal for vessels calling on U.S. Gulf ports.

Using the river for commercial navigation, “Our rivers secure the nation’s global competitiveness, provides public benefits to communities and citizens by providing healthier, cleaner air and is less costly to America’s taxpayers as infrastructure improvements on surface transportation is reduced by using the River for transporting America’s freight” says Aimee Andres, Executive Director.

The Panama Canal Authority is the organization in charge of managing, operating and maintaining the Panama Canal, one of the main links of world commerce. The ACP has recently completed a multi-billion-dollar expansion project that will double the waterway’s capacity and will allow for the transit of larger and wider vessels. The expansion will result in economies of scale in shipping and an improved transportation system through Panama.

IRPT’s members are located on the United States inland river system and are a major source of export and import generation for the economy. Members depend heavily on foreign trade routes such as the Panama Canal. Both IRPT and ACP are constantly undertaking a series of activities aimed at fostering the growth of global commerce and desire to cooperate in creating awareness of the benefits derived from the Canal expansion and from the optimization of existing inland transportation that is used to move various commodities from and to the United States through the Panama Canal.

IRPT wants to recognize Growmark for their generosity of special sponsorship during the HISTORIC IRPT trip to the Panama Canal!

Thank you to Tony Kennett with GROWMARK for providing the sponsorship for bus transportation during the Panama trip. GROWMARK is a regional cooperative providing agronomy, energy, facility planning, and logistics products and services, as well as grain marketing and risk management services in more than 40 states and Ontario, Canada. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives to serve more than 250,000 customers. At GROWMARK, their mission is to improve the long-term profitability of their member-owners. They strive to be the best agricultural cooperative system in North America, which is made possible through the dedication of skilled and respected employees.