A recent Providence Journal editorial and an opinion piece in the Christian Science Monitor both make the case for alleviating truck congestion on Route 95 by encouraging the growth of short sea shipping, a developing transportation solution where goods are shipped via barges from large ports to smaller regional ports for end distribution.

Coastal shipping has the potential to strengthen the resilience of America’s transportation system – an important national security objective. It can also provide substantial environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The European Union, which moves 40 percent of its internal freight by sea, provides an example of how much America stands to gain.

The US Maritime Administration estimates that a typical barge can handle 456 containers whereas the same amount of cargo requires 228 double-stacked rail cars or 456 tractor-trailers. Studies have shown that coastal shipping could be three times more efficient at transporting cargo than long-haul trucking is. This is particularly true along the I-95 corridor between Massachusetts and Florida, where many smaller ports enjoy excellent yet underutilized access to the sea around clogged highways.

Providence’s working waterfront, with our 40ft federal deep water channel and rail and highway access, is perfectly situated to take advantage of short sea shipping growth opportunities.