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AEP River Operations needs no introduc- tion for most MarineNews readers. One of the true river giants operating on America?s domestic inland waters today, AEP is head- quartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and is primarily known as a barge company that provides transportation of dry bulk commodities throughout the inland river system. AEP Riv- er Operations is owned by American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5.3 million customers in 11 states. The current AEP eet includes more than 79 towboats rang- ing up to 11,000 horsepower and more than 2,900 hopper barges, moving more than 65 million tons annually. Very soon, as AEP acquires a newbuild eet of 20 state-of-the-art tank barges, that mix of equipment is about to change.In business for 41 years, AEP continued to grow over time, acquiring the barge line MEMCO in 2001, which was then combined with the River Transportation Divi- sion (RTD), resulting in the name change to AEP River Operations LLC in 2008. The company headquarters are located in Chester eld, MO. AEP River Operations ad- ditionally has eeting services in Convent and Algiers, LA, and a shipyard in Belle Chasse, LA. Crew and operations of ces are located in Paducah, KY, and Lakin, WV. Dipping It?s Toe in the Water Already ranked as the second largest commercial inland tug and barge company in America, trailing only Ingram, the reason for AEP?s foray into the uncharted waters of tanks barges wasn?t necessarily readily apparent, but never- theless, says AEP President Keith Darling, the move makes a lot of sense.Rather than thinking the company?s excursion into the liquid freight market is a means of offsetting any decline in coal tonnage, though, as some may believe because of the bleak predictions regarding demand for domestic coal, Darling explained that it evolved more as a response to his customers? urging them for years to move their liquids. ?Coal?s not going away,? he said. ?It?s just that the cur- rent shifts in the marketplace indicated it was the right time AEP Barges into the Liquid Transport Markets Answering the needs of longstanding clients, bulk transport giant AEP dips its toes into the liquid transport arena. By Joseph Keefe INLAND TRANSPORTATION AEP Barges into the Liquid Transport Markets April 201432 MNMN April14 Layout 32-49.indd 32MN April14 Layout 32-49.indd 323/21/2014 11:12:16 AM3/21/2014 11:12:16 AM
