Canal Barge Announces New Terminal Group

U.S. based marine transportation and management service company, Canal Barge Company, Inc. is pleased to announce the formation of a new bulk chemical storage and distribution entity, Canal Terminal Company, in Joliet, Ill. Located at mile 281 on the Illinois River System on more than 50 acres of company-owned property, Canal Terminal is a multi-mode liquid storage facility designed to handle a diverse range of hazardous and non-hazardous specialty chemicals. With 100,000 bbls of new capacity, supported by 2 barge docks, 2 truck racks and more than 2,600 feet of rail siding, Canal Terminal is designed to achieve rapid turnaround times for barges, rail cars and trucks. Canal Terminal is just south of downtown Chicago at the intersection of Interstates 55 and 80. The location of the facility offers a distinct advantage over that of Chicago-based facilities because of its ease of access to and from the Interstate system. Larry Barbish, vice president of business development for Canal Barge, acknowledges that severe traffic congestion and the encroachment of traditional industrial areas due to population growth have long plagued the Chicago market. "Our customers and, in particular, their transportation partners, can avoid a two- to three-hour tank truck loading time by utilizing Canal Terminal. Further, once loaded, trucks can head out North/South or East/West on the Interstate system in less than 5 minutes," Barbish explains. Canal Barge is a major barge line with a reputation for building long-term relationships and providing exceptional customer service. The company expects to earn that same reputation with its new terminal group. "We¹ve brought to the table the people and resources capable of delivering the highest level of quality, safety and service," says Barbish. "We¹re approaching this new venture with one goal in mind: to build a storage company capable of establishing a new standard in the bulk liquid storage industry. "We didn¹t just retro-fit aging assets. We built a brand new facility from the ground up, employing the best technology available with an efficient and flexible product flow system and safety and security systems responsive to present-day needs," Barbish explains.