Low water levels cause delays for Mackenzie River barges

Northern Transportation Company Limited says it is two weeks behind schedule on barge deliveries due to low water levels on the Mackenzie River.

The shallow water has forced the operator to reduce cargo on its barges by up to 15 per cent.

"At this point I think we are pretty confident on the river that most things will get delivered," said Bill Smith, NTCL's vice-president of Logistics and Business Development.

"We are working with a number of customers to prioritize cargo, especially in our communities."

Smith says NTCL has added additional tugboats and barges to its fleet. He said he hopes the additional vessels will get them back on schedule.

Smith says the delays have increased expenses for NTCL, but he doesn't expect a rate hike for customers in the near future.