On Friday, the Mississippi River reopened for barge traffic after being closed 48 hours. There were 62 vessels and more than 1,000 barges in the que to move near Memphis. “We’ve averted disaster,” said CHS Barge Freight Merchandiser Ben Doane. CHS had wheat barges waiting to go to the Gulf in the backup. “We usually send trains, loaded in North Dakota, South Dakota or Minnesota to the St. Louis corridor for transfer to barge. That gives us an export option out of the center Gulf. There are spring wheat barges we’re extremely urgent for.” Doane expects sporadic closures of the Mississippi River when the construction work on the bridge at Memphis begins. Hear the story.
