Forecast: Inland Waterborne Freight in the US

The inland waterborne freight volume in the US stood at 560.01 million short tons in 2023. The historical data from 2013 to 2023 shows significant fluctuations, with notable decreases in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a precipitous drop of 44.15%. Post-pandemic recovery was evidenced by a 69.19% increase in 2021, albeit not reaching pre-pandemic levels. The overall trend from 2013-2023 demonstrates minor declines, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the past five years at -0.27%.

Future trends suggest a continual, though slight, decline in inland waterborne freight volumes, with forecasted data indicating an average annual decrease of 0.2% from 2024 to 2028. Key factors to watch for include advancements in transportation technology, shifts in trade policies, and infrastructure investments that could significantly impact freight volumes.