Role of Barge Transportation Today

Modern Barge Transportation continues playing a vital economic and environmental role. Barges can carry significant payload volumes in a single trip, making them exceptionally fuel efficient for freight per ton-mile carried. On average, one gallon of fuel can move one ton of cargo 616 miles by barge versus 472 miles by truck.

It is most widely used to transport bulk commodities like coal, petroleum, grains, and aggregates. Over one billion tons of domestic cargo are shipped by barge annually in the US, accounting for about 12-14% of inland freight transportation. Key industries relying on barges include energy, agriculture, and construction.

Barges offer flexibile freight solutions, able to handle breakbulk and containerized cargo. They interconnect with other modes like pipelines, railways, and trucks to facilitate multi-modal shipment of goods across large distances. The inland waterways system traversed by barges includes over 12,000 miles of commercially navigable channels. Major waterways include the Mississippi River System, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Illinois River Waterway, Ohio River, and Columbia River.

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