Backlog of vessels, barges surges as Mississippi river blockage continues in the US

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Vessel traffic on the Mississippi river in the US remained suspended on Thursday as government officials continue to assess the interstate highway bridge spanning the waterway after a crack was detected earlier in the week.

Just before noon local time, the US Coast Guard said there were 44 vessels, both northbound and southbound, waiting to pass the closed section between markers 736 and 737.

There were 709 barges waiting to pass.

The crack was found during a routine inspection of the Interstate 40 Mississippi River Bridge, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT).

Vehicle traffic across the bridge remains closed, and ARDOT is working with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to make sure the bridge is safe for motorists before it is reopened to any traffic.

Updates will be issued as they are available.

There is no estimated time for the river to be reopened.

The Mississippi River is a vital connector between chemical production in the US Gulf and industrial activity in the Midwest region.

Thumbnail image shows the crack in the Interstate 40 bridge that spans the Mississippi River. Image courtesy of Arkansas DOT