The Mississippi River is the fourth longest river in the world, and the city of Greenville, Mississippi is the busiest port anywhere on the length of the Mississippi. Located downriver from Memphis, Tennessee and serving much of the maritime traffic on the western side of America, Greenville is host to a variety of shipping industries – and if you need a maritime lawyer for your work on the Mississippi, you need O’Bryan Baun Karamanian*.
Due to the size and location of the Mississippi River, much of its traffic is internal to America – and sometimes internal to the river itself. Dredges are a common sight on the Mississippi in response to the high amount of sediment that kicks up due to the river’s flow, such as when large segments of the river were closed in August 2014 to allow dredges to free a number of trapped barges. The Mississippi Basin itself is a huge source of agriculture for much of America, producing 92% of the nation’s agricultural exports such as feed grains and livestock, and the Mississippi River itself is responsible for transporting it all to its destination. Other exported goods include rubber, paper, and coffee, and workers on the waters of the Mississippi work long hours to get it all where it needs to go.
Of course, living or working on any river the size of the Mississippi will have its own set of risks. Personal boating accidents in Mississippi have been steadily increasing since the 1990s, with a number of factors blamed. A recent increase in accidents has been attributed to the increasing traffic on the Mississippi with barges, dredges, and private boats all vying for the same occupied space on the river, with large pipes used for dredging being cited as a frequent cause of collisions.
Even with all the industries that need to use the Mississippi for business purposes, there’s still plenty of ways (and space) to have fun. Greenville boasts some of the most fertile and largest areas for freshwater fishing in America, inviting fishermen of all skill levels to try their hand at a big catch. The Mississippi tradition of grand old river boats is alive and well in Greenville, with sightseeing cruises setting off daily and allowing rental for special events like weddings and holidays. Looking for something a little faster? Mississippi offers its own Delta Dragon Boat festival for experienced and amateur boaters alike.
No matter where you live or what you do, if you’re in the maritime industry you might find yourself on or around the Mississippi River. And no matter where it happens, if you’re injured on the water you need O’Bryan Law to fight for you.
*Dennis M. O’Bryan is enrolled to practice before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals which hears appeals from the federal district courts of Mississippi including Greenville. In those federal district courts in which he is not generally admitted to practice, such as Greenville, he gains admission pro hac vice, in a case by case basis, by securing the sponsorship of a reputable attorney. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, where his office is located.
