American River Transportation Company
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | River transportation |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Illinois River, Mississippi River, Ohio River, Lower Mississippi River |
| Products | Barge transportation, towboats, shipyard services, stevedoring |
| Parent | Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) |
American River Transportation Co., LLC (ARTCO) operates as a subsidiary under Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), focusing on river transportation services that include barges, towboats, and a shipyard along the Illinois River, Mississippi River, and Ohio River. Additionally, ARTCO Stevedoring provides bulk transfer and crane operations near New Orleans, Louisiana on the Lower Mississippi River.
In 2005, ARTCO's assets comprised approximately 2,000 barges in addition to towboats and harbor tugboats. By 2016, its fleet expanded to encompass 20 fleeting boats, a shipyard equipped with five dry docks, and facilities dedicated to barge washing and repairs.
The company mainly transports ADM products such as grain, oil seeds, ethanol, and corn gluten meal, while also handling shipments for other clients. ARTCO’s towboats are easily identifiable by their white hulls accented with green and blue horizontal stripes. Its extensive operational reach covers the Mississippi River and its tributaries from Red Wing, Minnesota down to the Gulf of Mexico. Supported by ADM’s financial strength, ARTCO is noted for its commitment to safety, dependable delivery performance, competitive workforce management, strong employee satisfaction, and notably low turnover rates among lineboat captains and crew members.
From 2004 through 2007, ARTCO encountered environmental violations related to oil discharges into the Mississippi River. The company admitted guilt for submitting false information concerning an oil spill at its St. Louis facility. Two employees also entered guilty pleas on criminal charges connected to this incident. In April 2009, ARTCO consented to pay a $3 million penalty addressing these infractions.