AEP River Operations Sets a New Standard

AEP River Operations plays a vital role for both AEP and the economy. In 2011, AEP River Operations transported over 80 million tons of cargo on inland waterways in the United States.

When you think of sustainability, towboats don’t usually enter your mind. But at AEP River Operations, it does, and its latest initiative to green its operations gave the M/V Donna Rushing a complete overhaul. The Donna Rushing was originally built in 1973 and received a complete top-to-bottom renovation in 2011 to make it the most energy-efficient towboat on the U.S. inland waterways. Many of the improvements to the M/V Donna are making their debut on the river and are setting a new industry standard. Some of the boat’s features include:

• Twin 12-cylinder low-emission engines that run on 100% biodiesel fuel

• 100% LED lighting

• State-of-the-art pre-treatment system for its supply of portable water

• Man overboard alert system

You can learn more about the Donna Rushing and its retrofit by watching this video featured on Maritime Worldwide Monthly.