Columbia Coastal has added a weekly container-on-barge service linking Philadelphia with Norfolk and Baltimore and increased the frequency of its Norfolk-Baltimore barge service to twice a week, the Journal of Commerce reported.
The carrier said its Triple Play Triad service would use Columbia Coastal’s largest barge, the Columbia Elizabeth, a towed barge with capacity of 912 20-foot-equivalent units.
The service’s sailing schedule will be Sunday from Norfolk; Monday from Baltimore; Tuesday and Wednesday, Norfolk; Thursday, Baltimore; Friday, Philadelphia; and Sunday, Norfolk.
“We want to provide our customers with more flexibility in these ports by increasing weekly sailings and expanding service into Philadelphia,” said Bruce Fenimore, president and chief executive of the Columbia Group of Companies.
“By utilizing our green all-water alternative, we can improve cargo security, highway safety by taking more trucks off the road, lessen emissions, and reduce the carbon footprint in the areas we serve, all expressed goals of the Marine Highway Initiative,” Fenimore said. “With today’s shortage of trucks and rising cost of diesel fuel, it makes ‘green’ sense to move multiple loads on our barges, using one EDI transmission.”