Global Barge Transportation Market by Type Of Cargo (Dry, Liquid, Gaseous), by Barge Fleet (Tank, Open, Covered) and Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa), Forecast To 2028

Summary of the Report

Global barge transport market value was USD 107.8 million in 2017. It is expected to grow at 3.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from 2018 to 2025. The primary growth driver for the market is the rising demand for petrochemicals in both developed and developing countries like the U.S., China, Germany, and other countries. The market will also benefit from barge transport's efficiency, cost-effectiveness, safety, and security of cargo.

Market growth is being driven by a combination of improving economic conditions and increasing export and import trade. An efficient means of transport is essential as domestic trade increases. This is where barge transport can be of particular assistance. The market will also grow due to technological advancements in barge manufacturing.

There is tremendous growth potential in the market due to several factors. These include increasing investments and initiatives taken by different governments to develop effective inland water infrastructure. Research activities undertaken by major industry players to upgrade and create new barges and designs. Hybrid LNG barges, for example, can be considered a fuel-efficient alternative to conventional diesel-fired ones.

There are three main types of barges: covered, open and tank. The covered type is used to transport dry goods like agricultural produce, pharmaceuticals, and electronic and digital appliances. Tank ones, on the other hand, are used to transport commodities like crude oil, petrochemicals, liquid chemicals, as well as food pulps, juices, and food pulps. Over the forecast period, there will be a rise in demand for tank barsges due to rising demand for petrochemicals.

Barges have a huge haulage capacity. A river barge can transport approximately 1,500 tonnes of goods. This is roughly 15 times the weight of a 100-ton railroad car, and 60 times that of a trailer truck with a 25 ton carrying capacity. These barges can be used to transport bulk commodities. Industries that need to transport large quantities of goods prefer barge transport. The market is growing because of its large haulage capacity and lower operating costs.

Type of Cargo Information

The market can be divided into three types of cargo: liquid cargo (gaseous cargo), dry cargo (dry cargo), and intermediate cargo (liquid cargo). The liquid cargo segment includes carriage of petrochemicals and refined petroleum products, pressurized product, liquid fertilizers and black oil products. LPG and CNG are examples of gaseous cargo. Dry cargo is the carriage of commodities like coal, fertilizers and grains.

Due to the large amount of coal and growing volumes of agricultural products transported in barges, dry cargo is expected to dominate the market until 2025. The segment's growth is likely to be impeded by a declining demand for coal in the future. The liquid cargo segment will see a significant CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the growing demand for petrochemicals as well as the increased production of shale oils in the U.S.

Application Insights

Barge transportation is used for a variety of purposes, including transporting coal, crude petroleum products, liquid chemicals and food pulp. As the demand for crude oil continues to decline, the petroleum segment will be the dominant market. The segment is also being supported by a growing demand for crude oil, and an increase in ethanol production.

Due to strict regulations being developed by different governments to reduce air pollution and protect the environment from its burning, coal consumption has fallen in recent years. The adoption of cheaper and cleaner fuels like natural gas has also been increasing.

The growing use of barges to transport agricultural produce is driving the segment's growth. The rapid development of agriculture and food processing technologies is driving a greater demand for transport options that can haul bulk agricultural cargoes. This has accelerated the segment's growth. The overall barge transport market is expected to grow due to the safety provided by barges when transporting pharmaceutical and chemical products.

Barge Fleet Insights

The market can be divided by barge fleet into three segments: covered, open and tank. In 2017, the tank segment was dominant and it is expected to grow to USD 66.6 billion in 2025. This is due to the increasing demand for crude oil, petrochemicals and other petroleum products. Many governments encourage the use of barges to transport liquids in order to avoid spillage of hazardous chemicals onto roads.

Due to growing use of covered types to transport agricultural produce in bulk quantities, the covered segment will see a notable CAGR over the forecast period. Both in developing and developed countries, agricultural production is on the rise. To transport all of this agricultural produce, a reliable and active mode of transportation is required.

The use of covered barges to transport agricultural produce can reduce transportation costs and make it more efficient. This trend is especially evident in the U.S. where barge transport companies report strong financial results for the third and fourth quarters due to the grain harvesting seasons.

Barge Activity Insights

Based on barge activities, market can be divided into intracoastal transport and inland water transport based on their use. The market's largest share will be held by inland water transport until 2025.

There are many benefits to using inland waterways as transportation. They have lower costs, fewer delays and better safety records than other modes. The intracostal segment of transportation is expected to grow at a faster CAGR over the forecast period. The market will benefit from an increase in domestic and international trade during the forecast period.

Regional Insights

North America will experience the highest CAGR at 4.3% during the forecast period. North America's market is driven by a well-established infrastructure for inland waterways. The United States is a nation with a lot of resources, so it needs reliable transportation networks. It has an extensive infrastructure that includes locks and dams, water storage tanks, levees, hydroelectric power, and other facilities. This bodes well for its market. Barge transport is also a possibility due to the increased production of shale oil.

The forecast arena estimates that Europe will be the largest revenue contributor to the global arena. Barges are being demanded due to factors such as improved economic conditions and an established network of inland watersways. The Netherlands has well-developed waterways. The Dutch government has taken numerous initiatives to develop barge transport in the country. The Netherlands has a large share of the Europe market.

Asia Pacific will likely emerge as the second most promising area during the same time period due to the major steps taken by different governments to build inland waterways, a rapidly improving regional economy, and growing import and export trade. China is expected to grow at 2.9% during the forecast period. The region's growth will be aided by its abundant water resources and extensive waterway network of over 24,000km, including Grand Canal, Yangtze River and many other canals and tributaries.

Market Share Insights & Key Companies

Due to the presence of many players, the market is highly competitive. Major players are spending more on R&D to develop new technologies and improve the operations of their fleets, which will increase the competition.

There are many unorganized players in the market, including independent barge service providers that operate in the domestic market and focus on inland transportation. In North America and Europe, there are many players. The following are some of the most prominent players in the barge transport market:

• Campbell Transportation Company, Inc.

• Alter Logistics

• American Commercial Lines LLC

• Heartland Barge

• Kirby Corporation

Up Market Research published a new report titled “Barge Transportation Market research report which is segmented by Type Of Cargo (Dry, Liquid, Gaseous), by Barge Fleet (Tank, Open, Covered), By Players/Companies Heartland Barge, American Commercial Lines LLC, Kirby Corporation, Campbell Transportation Company Inc, Alter Logistics”. As per the study the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of XX% in the forecast period.

Report Scope

The report covers comprehensive data on emerging trends, market drivers, growth opportunities, and restraints that can change the market dynamics of the industry. It provides an in-depth analysis of the market segments which include products, applications, and competitor analysis.

Global Barge Transportation Market Report Segments:

The market is segmented by Type Of Cargo (Dry, Liquid, Gaseous), by Barge Fleet (Tank, Open, Covered).

Barge Transportation Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report.

Key Benefits for Industry Participants & Stakeholders:

• Industry drivers, restraints, and opportunities covered in the study
• Neutral perspective on the market performance
• Recent industry trends and developments
• Competitive landscape & strategies of key players
• Potential & niche segments and regions exhibiting promising growth covered
• Historical, current, and projected market size, in terms of value
• In-depth analysis of the Barge Transportation Market

Overview of the regional outlook of the Barge Transportation Market:

Based on region, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America region is further bifurcated into countries such as U.S., and Canada. The Europe region is further categorized into U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Rest of Europe. Asia Pacific is further segmented into China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, South East Asia, and Rest of Asia Pacific. Latin America region is further segmented into Brazil, Mexico, and Rest of Latin America, and the MEA region is further divided into GCC, Turkey, South Africa, and Rest of MEA.

Highlights of The Barge Transportation Market Report:

1. The market structure and projections for the coming years.
2. Drivers, restraints, opportunities, and current trends of Barge Transportation Market.
3. Historical data and forecast.
4. Estimations for the forecast period 2028.
5. Developments and trends in the market.

                1. Dry

                2. Liquid

                3. Gaseous

                1. Tank

                2. Open

                3. Covered

8. Market scenario by region, sub-region, and country.
9. Market share of the market players, company profiles, product specifications, SWOT analysis, and competitive landscape.
10. Analysis regarding upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics.
11. Government Policies, Macro & Micro economic factors are also included in the report.

We have studied the Barge Transportation Market in 360 degrees via. both primary & secondary research methodologies. This helped us in building an understanding of the current market dynamics, supply-demand gap, pricing trends, product preferences, consumer patterns & so on. The findings were further validated through primary research with industry experts & opinion leaders across countries. The data is further compiled & validated through various market estimation & data validation methodologies. Further, we also have our in-house data forecasting model to predict market growth up to 2028.

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Reasons to Purchase the Barge Transportation Market Report:

• The report includes a plethora of information such as market dynamics scenario and opportunities during the forecast period
• Segments and sub-segments include quantitative, qualitative, value (USD Million,) and volume (Units Million) data.
• Regional, sub-regional, and country level data includes the demand and supply forces along with their influence on the market.
• The competitive landscape comprises share of key players, new developments, and strategies in the last three years.
• Comprehensive companies offering products, relevant financial information, recent developments, SWOT analysis, and strategies by these players.