Q&A
years. He has also worked in a Washington, D.C., government affairs advocacy firm, is a board member and executive committee member for the National Waterways Conference Inc., and is active in other professional organizations related to waterborne transportation. We talked to Pickel to get a better idea of the unique challenges and makeup of the AIWW. Marine Log (ML): Can you comment on some recent innovative projects and opportunities that may impact shippers on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway?
THE ATLANTIC
INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY: An Important Shipping Corridor
A
t this time of year, we typically put together a feature story on shipping along the Atlantic Coast. This year, however, we’re doing something a little different by taking a look at the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW). Designated as Marine Highway 95, the AIWW is a shipping route that parallels the U.S. East Coast, serving ports from Norfolk, Va., to Key West, Fla.—a stretch of more than 1,100 miles. Some lengths of the AIWW consist of manmade canals, others of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays, and sounds. In 1919, Congress authorized the creation of the AIWW and the full length of the waterway was completed in 1940. And like other U.S. waterways, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the AIWW. Today, numerous shipping companies rely on the AIWW and shipyards can be found throughout the waterway. In an effort to help secure funding and support for the maintenance of the AIWW, the non-profit Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) was formed in 1999. AIWA members include shippers, tug and barge companies, shipyards, and other associations, marinas and
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recreational boaters. Brad Pickel, executive director of AIWA, says the association serves as the unified voice of the waterway. He has experience in water resources and coastal management from previously overseeing coastal management issues in Florida for more than 15
Brad Pickel (BP): The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association believes the diversity of our membership demonstrates the value of the waterway. Our commercial partners are actively involved in identifying opportunities to increase the usage of Marine Highway 95 as the first option for bulk commodities, such as scrap iron, DRI, containers by barge, acid, etc. Also, the waterway serves the needs of shipping materials that can’t, or aren’t feasible to move by road or rail. Whether it is submarine parts moved from South Carolina to Virginia, or jet fuel from Florida to South Carolina, the AIWW is the low profile, marine highway that continues to serve our nation. ML: Do your members have much crossover with shippers on the Atlantic Ocean or Coast?
Pickel (left) meets with U.S. Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter of Georgia District 1.
All Photos: (Bottom) Rep. Carter’s Office; (Top) Shutterstock.com/ Darryl Brooks
A containership unloads at Boston, Mass.—the head of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
