[MNJohnnie]

There is a shipping canal from Baton Rouge to Houston, the two boats use it now as you would be surprised to see just how much already goes to Houston

That is really useful to know. Do you happen to know it's name? Lots of "journalists" in the Upper Midwest are screaming about how the farmers are going to have to store their grain/beans/corn etc because it cannot get out at NO. Given how often I see the Dinosaur Media screw up, don't know why I took that nonsense seriously.

[endthematrix]

There is the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway (GIWW) that extends from FL to LA (East) then LA to TX (West)

[gulfcoast6]

It is called the Inner Coastal Canal. It is deep, can handle the traffic and, the boats from up north can go via the TN waterway to Mobile as well. True, more barges can be pushed at one time than can the ones going out west. Secondly, you would be surprised just how many tow boats drop their tow in Baton Rouge and turn around to go back north. The ships go all the way to Baton Rouge where the cargo is loaded and they just breeze by New Orleans going out to the gulf.