Opinion: Inland waterways are critical to Memphis and the nation
George Leavell
George Leavell is co-owner and executive vice president with Memphis-based Wepfer Marine, which operates harbor and fleeting services in nine locations along the lower Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers. Wepfer also provides trip towing on the lower Ohio River, a full-service shipyard with dry-docks, barge-cleaning services, crane services, dock repair and a machine shop in Memphis, fueling services in Greenville and Memphis, and salvage operations on the inland waterways.
The damage to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge is a timely opportunity to help enhance the inland waterways in the infrastructure jobs package released by the Biden administration that includes $17 billion for inland waterways, coastal ports, land ports of entry and ferries.
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