Marybeth Nassif, of Washington, D.C., takes a photo of the Gateway Arch as the Ag Coast of America riverboat cruise passes by on Thursday along the Mississippi River. Nassif joined the tour with her friend Susan Taylor, who narrated the event.
Dozens of transportation experts and local teachers filled a riverboat on Wednesday for a winding tour along one of the country's busiest freight corridors.
The trip, part of FreightWeekSTL 2025, took them through the so-called “Ag Coast of America” — a heavily industrial section of the Mississippi River near downtown St. Louis.
Organizers say the stretch is a key link in shipping routes and a multimodal hub for moving goods on road, river and rail.
“‘It’s a great opportunity for industry leaders and guests to see firsthand how multimodal transportation travels through the bi-state region,” said Mary Lamie, executive vice president of multimodal enterprises with Bi-State Development.
More than 30 people from Córdoba, Argentina, also traveled to St. Louis to learn about agricultural technology and regional business opportunities.
The annual FreightWeekSTL conference brings together experts across the transportation industry to collaborate and share ideas about the field.
See photos from the boat tour by St. Louis Public Radio's Lylee Gibbs:
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Guests of the Ag Coast of America riverboat cruise speak as the boat floats down the river, giving guests a closer look at the region's infrastructure from the Mississippi River on Thursday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Captain Kevin East turns the riverboat around during the Ag Coast of America riverboat tour on Thursday. East is the first Black captain to get his license in Missouri.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
A map showing all the interstates that run through St. Louis sits on display during the Ag Coast of America riverboat tour on Thursday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Gregory Linhares, of Bi-State Development Agency, plugs his ears while the riverboat blares its horn.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
A barge facility sits along the edge of the Mississippi River on Thursday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Susan Taylor speaks into a microphone as she narrates the Ag Coast of America riverboat cruise on Thursday. She spoke about the St. Louis region's multimodal freight network — including roads, bridges, barge facilities and more.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Brent Wood, left, president of the Terminal Railroad Co., speaks with Chris Kerckhoff, EDM's vice president of business development, during the Ag Coast of America riverboat cruise that showcased key freight assets and opportunities that set the region as a thriving hub on Thursday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Gonzalo Valenci, executive director of the Agencia Córdoba Innovar y Emprender from Córdoba, Argentina, leans on the railing of the riverboat as he and over 30 other people from Argentina attend the Mississippi River tour to learn more about innovation and agriculture technology in the Midwest on Thursday. “It’s a challenge we have back home," Valenci said. "So basically, to take the best practices in every matter regarding innovation and technology."
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
An American flag blows in the wind on the Ag Coast of America riverboat cruise on Thursday.
