GlobaLogix wins Tenn-Tom upgrade contract

NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI — GlobaLogix Inc., a Houston-based automation and data services company, has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to improve the control and automation hardware of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway’s locks and dams and Hydromet systems, which are part of the river system that extends 233 miles from Demopolis, Ala., to the Tennessee River.

The $1.2-million contract, which is funded in total by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will include upgrading the Waterway’s existing SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system to utilize hardware and software development tools. The upgraded system’s aim is to boost operational performance and system connectivity, improving the transportation efficiency of the waterway.

A system of 10 locks and dams make the river navigable despite changes in elevation, but are aging and becoming outmoded. The average age of the locks now exceeds 20 years.

“The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway is a critical component of trade and transportation within the Sunbelt states, and its efficiency is vital to the area’s continued industrial development,” said Jim Fererro, vice president at GlobaLogix. “We are honored to be selected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for this project, and are confident that our work will boost the Waterway’s transportation efficiency and capacity.”