Seasonal Shifts and Increased Lighting Needs

Seasonal Shifts and Increased Lighting Needs

As days grow shorter in fall and winter, inland waterway navigation faces fresh challenges. Over 12,000 miles of rivers, lakes, and canals across the U.S. move essential goods like coal, grain, and petroleum, acting as critical links in the nation's supply chain. However, reduced daylight increases navigation risks and puts new ...

Common Challenges in Marine Lighting (And How to Overcome Them)

Operating in a marine environment brings unique lighting challenges. From the constant assault of salt water to the stress of high winds and vibration, commercial marine lighting faces harsh conditions daily. Whether you manage a marina or operate commercial vessels, reliable lighting is critical. It's not just about visibility but about ...

Exploring Inland Marine Wildlife

Inland waters—rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands—host diverse marine organisms that have adapted to life away from the ocean. While "marine" often evokes images of sea creatures, many fascinating freshwater marine animals thrive in these environments. This blog explores major inland marine wildlife you may (and probably have) encountered while navigating our ...

The Essential Guide to Dock Lighting: Why It Matters

Lighting is often overlooked when operating or navigating a commercial pier's layout and safety features, taking a backseat to more prominent aspects like dock space and service facilities. However, proper lighting is not merely a matter of aesthetics—it's a critical component of safety, security, and operational efficiency. This guide explores why ...

Ensuring Maritime Safety and Compliance for Navigational Safety

Navigational lighting on boats and barges isn't just about aesthetics—it's a critical component of maritime safety. Whether sailing through bustling harbors or navigating inland waterways at night, proper lighting ensures vessels are visible to others, helping to prevent collisions and ensure safe passage. In this blog, we delve into navigational lighting ...

The Importance of Following Regulations in Marina Work

Barge In an Inland Waterway
As picturesque as marinas may appear, with their bobbing boats and sparkling waters, working in these environments demands a keen awareness of safety regulations. Marine work presents unique challenges and hazards, ranging from slippery surfaces to heavy machinery. Let's delve into the safety regulations governing marina work and why adherence to ...

Essential Tips for Summer Boat Cleaning

As summer approaches, it's time to prepare your boat for long days out on the water. A clean vessel looks tremendous and ensures optimal performance and durability. With the right approach and a little elbow grease, you can keep your boat sparkling all summer. Here are some essential tips for maintaining ...

Marine Lighting Do’s and Don’ts

Commercial boating can be a dangerous industry. Navigators know that no matter the waters, their vessel's lighting must be top-notch. Additionally, knowing the dos and don'ts of marine vessel lighting is essential to ensure safety and compliance. Proper lighting is necessary for maintaining visibility on the water, preventing accidents, and ...

The Evolution of Vessel Navigation

In the vast expanse of maritime history, the art of navigation has been a guiding beacon for sailors and explorers alike. From ancient civilizations to the modern age of technology, the evolution of vessel navigation systems has been a fascinating journey marked by innovation and ingenuity. Several changes in navigational ...

Invasive Aquatic Species in North America

The United States is home to incredible waterways, from our rivers and streams to the Great Lakes to our coasts. Our waterways represent life, health, transportation, cities, and industry. So, when there are threats to the health of these waterways, boaters and community members need to watch out for these ...

Supply Chain and Shipping Containers Outlook for 2024

The shipping and transportation industries play a pivotal role in the intricate dance of global trade and commerce. As we set our sights on 2024, several trends and considerations are poised to reshape the shipping container and supply chain landscape, influencing businesses specializing in marine lighting for commercial boats and ...

The Importance of Hull Inspections

Commercial boating is an industry that relies heavily on vessels' safety and operational efficiency. One crucial aspect of ensuring vessel safety is conducting regular hull inspections. Hull inspections play a vital role in maintaining the structural integrity of a ship, optimizing maintenance schedules, improving port security, and protecting against the ...

Cold Weather Commercial Boating Tips

As the colder months roll in, commercial boaters face unique challenges when navigating their vessels along inland waterways. While the North and Midwest regions of the United States are rich with major rivers, the onset of cold weather requires extra preparation to ensure the safety of both crew and cargo. ...

A History of U. S Inland Marine Boating

Inland marine boating has played a pivotal role in developing the United States, especially in commerce and transportation. At Archway Marine Lighting, we aim to promote safety for commercial boaters operating in inland waters. To understand the significance of our mission, it is essential to delve into the rich history ...

A Guide to Port Safety

Commercial boaters worldwide are responsible for precisely navigating the water and handling cargo carefully. While safety is critical when vessels are out in bodies of water, it is also essential in the port. Ports can be busy, hectic places with many tasks that boaters and workers need to get done ...

Inland Marine Waterways and Conservation

Inland marine waterways are vital lifelines for commercial boaters and the wildlife that call these ecosystems home. They and anyone using our rivers recreationally should understand the significance of these waterways and their role in supporting a thriving ecosystem. As a provider of marine lighting products and safety gear, Archway ...

How the Inland Marine Industry Affects the Supply Chain

A tug boat pulling a cargo ship
In the last three years, many people have paid extra attention to the supply chain both in the U.S. and globally. With economic effects derived from the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the rise of e-commerce sales, supply chains have seen rapid changes. In this blog post, we will explore the ...

A Guide to Cargo Storage on Inland Marine Vessels

Cargo ship at a port
Transporting cargo on vessels requires proper planning and execution to ensure it is safely stored and brought to its destination. Cargo storage on vessels can be a complex process, especially for vessels that travel through inland marine waterways throughout the United States. This blog post will discuss the best practices ...

Severe Weather Tips for Commercial Boaters

Waves crashing into a light house
Commercial boaters face many risks while navigating open waters. One of the most significant risks is severe weather. High winds, heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, and other weather conditions can risk the crew's and cargo's safety. Therefore, it's essential to be prepared and know how to handle these situations. This blog ...

Critical Waterway Routes in the U.S.

Bridge over a U.S. waterway
One of the most unique parts of the United States is its geographic landscape. Across the contiguous 48 states are mountains, forests, deserts, lakes, rivers, and just about any natural feature you can think of. The inland waterway systems throughout the U.S. are critical for shipping, transportation, recreation, and conservation.  As ...

A Guide to Marine Equipment Maintenance

Boat at a port
The inland marine industry is one of the fastest-growing industries today, with an increasing number of vessels used for various activities such as cargo transport, passenger transport, and fishing. Marine equipment is crucial in ensuring these vessels' safe and efficient operation. However, like other equipment, marine equipment requires proper maintenance ...

Safety Tips for Boating at Night

Ocean at night
Heading out onto the water at night can be a wonderful experience, but you don't want to forget about safety. From adding LED lights to taking the proper precautions, you should be doing plenty of things to stay safe while boating at night. Below are three safety tips for boating ...

Dredging and the Inland Marine Industry

Our rivers, lakes, and streams all play a crucial role in the environmental life of the United States. Our inland waterway systems are places for wildlife, recreation, transportation, and more. Dredging is one of the many processes that keep these waterways healthy and functional. As people continue to build property ...

The Benefits of High-Quality LED Marine Lighting

Aerial Photo of Yacht With LED Marine Lighting
When it comes to using LED lighting for marine applications, the list of benefits is long! They're much more energy efficient and help save money and the environment, but that's just one significant advantage of upgrading to LEDs. They keep docks and marinas safe, businesses well-lit and recognizable, and can ...

How to Protect Marine Equipment From Extreme Weather

Lighthouse In A Storm
Mother Nature is often unpredictable, and the effects of extreme weather can be seen across the country's waterways. Hurricanes can be incredibly impactful on the marine logistics industry, and it's crucial for both commercial and recreational boaters and boat operators to understand how to lessen that impact. Large ports bear the ...

Marine LED Lighting Best Practices

While most of our customers come to us for their commercial lighting needs, many are like us and enjoy their recreational boats when they are not working on the water. Boating is already fun enough; imagine how better it can be when you customize your boat with LED lights! Whether ...

A Guide to Marine LED Upgrades

Upgrading to marine LED lighting is one of the quickest and easiest ways to boost the sustainability and energy efficiency of barges, marine vessels, and facilities along the waterway. Still, the upfront cost of investment can often cause sticker shock. Because marine LED upgrades may be considered a luxury and ...