Canal Barge Company

What Canal Barge Company does

Canal Barge Company (legal entity Canal Barge LLC) is a privately-owned marine transportation company founded in 1933 and headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. It operates a diversified fleet of more than 30 towboats (ranging from 800 to 6,000 horsepower), inland tank barges with capacities of 10,000 to 30,000 barrels, hopper barges, and oceangoing deck barges, providing marine transportation for liquid cargo (petroleum, petrochemicals, asphalt, refined products, feedstocks, lube oils, and biofuels), dry cargo (coal, petroleum coke, steel, and limestone), and oversized deck and project cargo. Its operations span from Brownsville, TX, through the Gulf Coast and Illinois Waterway, into the Chicago area and Pittsburgh, PA, with international project cargo handled through its oceangoing deck barge fleet. Customers include Fortune 500 oil and chemical companies, public utilities, the U.S. Government (including NASA), and construction and fabrication firms.

The company's service platform is built around four core offerings — liquid cargo, dry cargo, deck and project cargo, and towing — supported by four wholly-owned operating subsidiaries: Illinois Marine Towing (IMT, acquired 2008) for Illinois Waterway towing and fleeting, Canal Terminal Company (CTC) for bulk liquid storage near Chicago served by barge, rail, and truck, Canal Analytical & Environmental Services (CA&ES, acquired 2014) for product quality testing and custom blending, and Pelican Marine Services (established 2019) for Houston-area fleeting operations. The firm operates a digital customer portal (CBC Portal) and a customer tow works login for shipment management, alongside a fleet diversity that includes specialized tank barge configurations such as linings, heating coils for temperature-sensitive products, and split cargo capabilities. Its stated differentiators are 90+ years of operating history, a Goal ZERO safety program targeting zero spills and incidents, and continuous fleet reinvestment.

Canal Barge generates revenue through transaction-fee transportation services, managed terminal storage contracts, and laboratory professional services, with multi-year contracts as the primary pricing structure and pricing determined per quote based on cargo type, volume, distance, and route complexity. Distribution is direct, via an enterprise field-sales motion with dedicated sales representatives, online sales inquiry forms, and service-line-specific contact channels. In December 2025, Canal Barge was acquired by Redwood Holdings as part of a broader consolidation wave in the inland waterways sector, and the company subsequently reported a record year in 2025-2026.

Name

Canal Barge Company

Legal name

Canal Barge LLC

Website

https://canalbarge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Canal Barge Company is a privately-owned U.S. marine transportation firm founded in 1933 that moves liquid, dry, and project cargo via inland waterways for Fortune 500 refiners, utilities, government, and industrial customers, recently acquired by Redwood Holdings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Transportation Services

NAICS

Inland Water Freight Transportation (483211), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Barge & Offshore Towage (Barge Moves, Rig/Platform Tows) (TLAHAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Terminal & Shipyard Towage (Intra-Port/Facility Moves) (TLAHAHAI), Inland / River Container Terminals (Barge-Served) (TLAHAAAD)

Keywords

• Marine transportation services
• Inland barge shipping
• Bulk liquid storage
• Liquid cargo logistics
• Deck project cargo

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Marine Transportation Services: Transportation of liquid cargo (petroleum, chemicals, asphalt), dry cargo (coal, steel, limestone, petroleum coke), and deck/project cargo via inland waterways and oceangoing barges.
2. Terminal Services: Bulk liquid storage and handling services at Canal Terminal Company near Chicago, IL, served by barge, rail and truck.
3. Laboratory Services: Canal Analytical & Environmental Services provides onsite product quality testing and custom blending services.
4. Towing Services: Towing, fleeting, shipyard and waterline services along the Gulf Coast, Illinois Waterway, and into Mid-America.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Canal Barge Company provides inland marine transportation of liquid cargo (petroleum, petrochemicals, refined products, asphalt, biofuels), dry cargo (coal, steel, limestone, petroleum coke), and oversized deck/project cargo via its diversified fleet of towboats and barges on the U.S. Inland Waterways. The company also operates bulk liquid terminal storage, towing and fleeting services, and onsite laboratory and analytical services through wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Product overview

Canal Barge Company is a privately-owned marine transportation company operating a diversified fleet of tank barges, hopper barges, deck barges, and towboats. The company offers a portfolio of interconnected marine logistics services centered around four core offerings: Liquid Cargo Services (transporting petrochemicals, refined products, and asphalt via inland tank barges), Dry Cargo Services (moving coal, steel, and construction materials in open-top hopper barges), Deck & Project Cargo Services (handling oversized and specialized cargo for industrial, energy, and space exploration projects), and Towing Services (providing tugboat power throughout the Gulf Coast and Mid-America). These core services are supported by affiliated divisions including Illinois Marine Towing (specialized towing and fleeting along the Illinois Waterway), Canal Terminal Company (bulk liquid storage near Chicago), Canal Analytical & Environmental Services (on-site laboratory and testing), and Pelican Marine Services (fleeting operations in Houston). The company operates primarily on the U.S. Inland Waterways system with a fleet of towboats ranging from 800 hp to 6000 hp and maintains a global oceangoing deck barge fleet for international project cargo.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Liquid Cargo Services Transportation of liquid cargo including petrochemicals, refined products, black oils, feedstocks, lube oils, asphalt, and biofuels via inland tank barges operating on the U.S. Inland Waterways system, targeting safe, on-time, on-spec delivery for refining and petrochemical customers.
• Dry Cargo Services Transportation of dry cargo including petroleum coke, steel, limestone, coal, and project cargoes using inland open-top hopper barges throughout the U.S. Inland Waterways system, delivering reliability and ratability for power generation, construction, and materials customers.
• Deck & Project Cargo Services Logistical solutions and project management for transportation of oversized, heavy, and specialized cargoes to domestic and international destinations, including industrial plants, modules, military equipment, and decommissioned equipment, for fabricators, engineering, and construction customers.
• Towing Services Marine towing services using a diversified fleet of towboats ranging from 800 hp to 6,000 hp, providing reliable logistics solutions along the Gulf Coast and into Mid-America.
• Illinois Marine Towing (IMT) Wholly owned subsidiary providing towing, fleeting, shipyard, and waterline services along the full length of the Illinois Waterway, including operations into the Chicago market.
• Canal Terminal Company (CTC) Full-service bulk liquid storage facility near Chicago, Illinois, served by barge, rail, and truck, offering secure storage and quick turnarounds for liquid cargo customers.
• Canal Analytical & Environmental Services (CA&ES) Onsite laboratory providing quick turnaround product quality testing, custom blending, and environmental testing services for liquid cargo customers at the Canal Terminal Company site.
• Pelican Marine Services Fleeting operation in the Houston, TX area, supporting Canal Barge's own fleet and providing fleeting services to customers along the Gulf Coast.
• Management Services Comprehensive marine management solutions including operational oversight, strategic planning, and day-to-day execution for marine operations, supporting customer logistics needs beyond physical transportation.
• Terminal Services Streamlined terminal operations from docking to cargo handling, backed by state-of-the-art technology and highly trained staff to ensure prompt, effective handling of customer goods at Canal Barge's terminal facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Goal ZERO: zero spills and incidents commitment across all operations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crescent Towing & Salvage: Gulf-based marine services company providing towing, salvage, and spill response. Comparable to Illinois Marine Towing's Gulf Coast and Illinois Waterway towage and fleeting offerings.
• Marquette Transportation: Privately-held operator of tank barges and towboats providing liquid cargo transportation on the Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Closely comparable private peer in marine liquid bulk hauling.
• Turn Services: Operator of tugboats and barges providing fleeting, shifting, and transportation services along the lower Mississippi River and Gulf Coast. Direct competitor to Canal Barge's towing and Pelican Marine fleeting operations.
• American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL): Major privately-operated inland marine carrier transporting liquid and dry bulk cargo on the Mississippi River System and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Direct competitor to Canal Barge's liquid cargo and dry cargo offerings.
• Kirby Corporation: Largest U.S. inland marine transportation operator, providing tank barge and towboat services for liquid and dry bulk cargo across the same Inland Waterways system as Canal Barge. Closest large-cap comparable in business model and customer base.
• American River Transportation Company (ARTCO): Subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland operating one of the largest U.S. inland barge fleets, primarily for grain and agricultural products. Comparable private (within a public parent) barge transportation peer in the Inland Waterways system.
• Parker Towing Company: Inland waterways towing and barge operator primarily on the Tennessee and Tombigbee River systems. Comparable family-owned private peer with similar towboat-and-barge operational model.
• Ingram Marine Group: Operates one of the largest fleets of barges and towboats on the U.S. Inland Waterways, moving commodities including coal, grain, and aggregates. Direct private competitor to Canal Barge's dry cargo and towing operations.
• Blessey Marine Services: Gulf-Intracoastal and Mississippi River barge operator providing marine transportation of petrochemicals and refined products with a fleet of tank barges and towboats. Comparable to Canal Barge's Gulf Coast liquid cargo operations.

Broad incumbents

• Moran Towing Corporation: Established large-scale marine services provider offering harbor towing, ship docking, and barge operations across multiple U.S. ports. Overlaps with Canal Barge's terminal and shipyard towage capabilities but operates a broader geographic footprint as a wider marine services incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/canalbarge
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• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canal-barge-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/canalbargecompany

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canal Barge Company