Inland Barge Tow, Lock Delay, Fleet Utilization & Voyage Profitability Tool

Inland Navigation • Towboat Economics • Lock Scheduling • Fleet Logistics

Inland Barge Tow, Lock Delay, Fleet Utilization & Voyage Profitability Tool

Model cargo earnings against navigation time, lock queues, fuel burn and towing costs. Simulate competing tows across shared chambers, visualize delay accumulation and identify where the next voyage loses its margin.

Two-way tow economicsLock queue simulatorFleet Gantt & utilizationDraft / chamber holdsMargin recovery scenarios

Fast tow profitability screen: 12 inputsEstimate one loaded passage and empty return, including lock waiting and daily towboat cost. Simple defaults to 1.5 hours of lockage per lock (editable), assumes 16 hours of terminal handling, and uses the same number of locks each way.

Multi-tow fleet dispatch planningSet the assumptions below, then configure the tow, lock, closure, contractual and readiness registers. Advanced models shared lock capacity and both outbound and return lock movements. All locks and waterway conditions are user-entered.

Planning boundary: This tool does not receive live USACE queue reports, verify clearance/draft, allocate actual lock slots, approve tow configurations, verify Subchapter M compliance, or promise freight earnings. Check current notices, lockmaster instructions, charter terms and equipment limits independently.

Tow Dispatch & Cargo Register

Each tow is a planned round trip. Cargo revenue applies to the laden leg; return movement consumes time/fuel but has no backhaul revenue. Positions are relative route miles, not real river miles.

Use	Tow / vessel	Barges	t / barge	Tow length ft	Width ft	Draft ft	Departure h	Route miles	Laden mph	Return mph	Transit gal/h	Idle gal/h	Operating $/day	Freight $/t	Remove

Shared Lock & Navigation Constraint Register

Enter locks in increasing mileage along the laden route. Chamber fit and draft are review gates. Max barges per lockage governs illustrative break-up cycles, not authorized tow configurations.

Use	Lock / site	Mile from origin	Chambers	Chamber L ft	Chamber W ft	Published/entered depth ft	Max barges / cut	Cycle h / cut	Extra queue allowance h	Remove

Restriction & Lock-Closure Windows

Windows use hours from the project reference time (hour 0), not dates. Active closures block lockage; a tow already started is not interrupted. A draft restriction may override the lock depth entered above.

Use	Related lock	Start hour	End hour	Restriction type	Temporary allowable draft ft	Remarks	Remove

Revenue, Handling & Contract Adjustments

Revenue and charges are optional per-tow adjustments. Base revenue is tonnes × entered freight rate; these adjustments may be positive or negative but must be explicitly labeled.

Use	Related tow	Adjustment label	Revenue credit USD (+)	Cost / penalty USD (+)	Status	Remove

Navigation, Documentation & Operational Readiness

Unverified critical checks remain holds even when the voyage margin is positive. Confirm USCG requirements only where applicable; operator inputs do not establish compliance.

Use	Readiness requirement	Priority	Status	Owner / evidence reference	Remove

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