Jeffersonville, IN December 18, 2001 Over the past two years, e-logistics has made a big entrance into the transportation industry, but mainly in the area of trucking. But, according to a recent press release, barge companies are becoming e-savvy as well.
American Commercial Barge Line Company (ACBL) and MBLX, Inc. have announced the formation of BargeLink, a joint venture company providing river barge logistics, barge brokering, electronic rate requests and tracking services for full barge load cargoes. Based in the New Orleans offices of MBLX, BargeLink will supply a broad range of barge-related services, including ocean transportation, customs clearance, discharge of vessels, unloading of barges, warehousing, distribution, and truck/rail deliveries.
The joint venture offers domestic and international shippers the combination of MBLX's logistics expertise and advanced web-based tracking systems with the coverage offered by ACBL's extensive inventory of boats, barges and fleeting services. With these combined strengths, BargeLink can design and implement a conventional or customized transportation package to maximize a customer's shipping opportunities.
BargeLink is designed to meet our customers' demand for innovative logistics services supported by enhanced information capabilities, David Schulingkamp, president of MBLX said. Customers have told us the game has changed. They want information to move with the product. BargeLink provides operational intelligence at every step in the supply chains. This sophistication tells us that any quality third-party provider had better be as adept at distributing information as it is at distributing products.
Steve Brooks, ACBL's Vice President of sales, explained, BargeLink offers the types of value enhanced initiatives and operational excellences that our customers have specifically requested. Because we have an outstanding track record with MBLX in other markets, BargeLink is the next logical step toward satisfying our customer's requests. By combining the size and flexibility of ACBL's marine fleet with the breadth and depth of MBLX information systems, BargeLink offers a major advantage for all of our customers.
MBLX will continue to offer its less-than-barge load consolidation and logistical services and ACBL will continue to provide full barge load transportation services for the inland river system.
