Ingram Barge Company

What Ingram Barge Company does

Ingram Barge Company is the largest dry cargo carrier and one of the top chemical/liquid carriers on America's inland waterways, operating a fleet of approximately 160 towboats (up to 10,500 HP) and 5,000 barges (hopper and tank) across more than 6,000 miles of river in 18 states. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, the company is a privately held LLC owned by Ingram Marine Group, part of the family-controlled Ingram Industries conglomerate. Core services include liquid cargo (chemicals), dry cargo (aggregates, grain, fertilizer, coal, ores, alloys, steel), fleeting, marine/road/rail terminal services via Ingram Infrastructure Group, midstream and dockside fueling via Custom Fuel Services, and third-party logistics via Ingram Logistics Services. The platform is supported by three regional dispatch centers (Ohio, Mississippi, Gulf) and the proprietary Towline® real-time cargo tracking tool.

The company generates revenue on a transaction-fee basis through custom-priced B2B contracts with industrial, chemical/petrochemical, agricultural, and energy/mining customers, with multi-year contracts and a quote-based sales motion organized by region and cargo type. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by cargo type, distance, river conditions, and volume. Distribution is direct enterprise sales with no resellers or marketplace channels; the Towline® platform offers limited self-service cargo visibility for mid-market shippers. The 2024 acquisition of SCF Marine, Inland River Transport Holdings LLC, and NexStar Solutions, combined with the greenfield Middle Tennessee River Port development (announced 2022), has materially expanded fleet and terminal infrastructure.

The company is family-owned and operated under continuous Ingram family control since the 1940s, with John Roberts serving as President and CEO of Ingram Marine Group since 2022. Governance is supported by a full executive team (CFO, COO, CCO, CIO, CHRO, CLO) and active participation in U.S. maritime industry associations, including leadership roles in the American Waterways Operators and the Coast Guard Foundation. Industry positioning is reinforced by the Zero Harm safety culture, the proprietary Decktology Barge Training Facility, and 2015 EPA SmartWay Excellence Award recognition.

Name

Ingram Barge Company

Legal name

Ingram Barge Company LLC

Website

https://ingrambarge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Ingram Barge Company is the largest dry cargo carrier and a top liquid/chemical carrier on U.S. inland waterways, operating ~160 towboats and ~5,000 barges across 18 states. It serves industrial, chemical, agricultural, and energy shippers via B2B contracts supported by terminal, fueling, and 3PL services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inland Waterway Transportation Services

NAICS

Inland Water Transportation (48321), Inland Water Freight Transportation (483211), Marine Cargo Handling (48832)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Coastal/Sea Towage (Long-Distance Towing of Vessels/Barges) (TLAHAHAE)

Keywords

• Inland waterway transportation
• Barge transportation services
• Bulk commodity shipping
• Marine logistics services
• River cargo hauling

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Liquid Cargo Transportation: Transportation of liquid cargoes including chemicals. Ingram is one of the top chemical carriers on the river. Revenue generated through contracted barge transportation services.
2. Dry Cargo Transportation: Transportation of dry cargo including aggregates, grain, fertilizer, coal, ores, alloys, and steel products. Ingram is the largest dry cargo carrier on America's inland waterways.
3. Fleeting Services: Fleet positioning services from St. Louis to New Orleans. Strategically positioned fleets to provide maximum efficiency for transportation moves.
4. Terminal Services: Marine, road and rail logistics services offered through Ingram Infrastructure Group with nine bulk and general cargo terminals and 590,000 square feet of warehouse and dockside storage.
5. Fueling Services: Midstream and dockside fuel service at convenient locations along America's inland waterways through Custom Fuel Services, with state-of-the-art fuel flats.
6. Third Party Logistics: Import/export cargo, customs brokerage, and customizable logistics solutions through Ingram Logistics Services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ingram Barge Company transports dry and liquid commodities on America's inland waterways using a fleet of approximately 160 towboats and 5,000 barges across over 6,000 miles of river in 18 states. The company provides liquids (chemical) and dry cargo transportation, complemented by fleeting, terminal, fueling, and third-party logistics services. It operates as the largest dry cargo carrier and one of the top chemical carriers on U.S. inland waterways.

Product overview

Ingram Barge Company operates as the leading carrier on America's inland waterways, offering a unified transportation platform for dry and liquid commodities. The core product portfolio centers on liquids transport (chemical carriers) and dry cargo transportation, supported by fleeting services and an extensive network. The company extends its offering through subsidiary services including Ingram Infrastructure Group (terminal services with marine, road, and rail logistics), Custom Fuel Services (fueling operations), and Ingram Logistics Services (third-party logistics including import/export and customs brokerage). Additional value-added services include Towline (real-time cargo tracking tool) and an Emissions Calculator (environmental impact comparison tool). The company operates more than 150 towboats on over 6,000 miles of river across 18 states with approximately 160 towboats and 5,000 barges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Towline: A state-of-the-art logistics tool for instantly pinpointing the location of cargo. Available both online and on mobile devices.

Products and services

• Liquids Transportation Liquid cargo transportation service specializing in chemical carriers on America's inland waterways, backed by experienced mariners, modern fleets, and strict safety standards for reliable movement of liquid cargoes.
• Dry Cargo Transportation Dry cargo transportation service positioned as the largest dry cargo carrier on America's inland waterways, featuring skilled crews, dependable equipment, and strong focus on safety and efficiency. Transports aggregates, grain, fertilizer, coal, ores, alloys, and steel products.
• Fleeting Services Fleet positioning and management services strategically positioned from St. Louis to New Orleans (and Houston) to provide maximum efficiency for barge movements.
• Terminal Services Marine, road, and rail logistics services provided through Ingram Infrastructure Group, offering nine bulk and general cargo terminals and 590,000 square feet of warehouse and dockside storage.
• Fueling Services Midstream and dockside fuel service along America's inland waterways provided through Custom Fuel Services, featuring state-of-the-art fuel flats and a commitment to safety since 1982.
• Third Party Logistics Logistics services offered through Ingram Logistics Services including import/export cargo, customs brokerage, and customizable logistics solutions for ocean freight, cargo storage, and intermodal coordination.
• Towline® Cargo Tracking Platform State-of-the-art logistics tool that enables instant location tracking of customers' cargo, available both online and on mobile devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Barging produces lower carbon footprint compared to truck or rail transportation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• U.S. Coast GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partnership for maritime safety and regulatory compliance. The Coast Guard Foundation is supported by Ingram leadership, with Sr. VP David Houghton serving as Member of the Board of Trustees.
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for waterway infrastructure maintenance and navigation. Essential for inland waterway transportation operations.
• Waterways Council, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry advocacy organization for waterways infrastructure. Ingram is an active member supporting waterway development and maintenance.
• Maritime Administration (MARAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency supporting maritime industry. Partnership for industry advocacy and regulatory engagement.
• National Waterways FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting research and education for inland waterways. Ingram supports through research partnerships and industry advocacy.
• American Waterways OperatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry trade association for domestic maritime industry. Angela Grett of Ingram Barge Company serves as Treasurer. The organization advocates for the domestic maritime industry including opposition to overly broad Jones Act waivers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Norfolk Southern: Class I freight railroad operating in the eastern U.S. and competing for the same industrial, chemical, agricultural, and coal bulk freight that Ingram transports on inland waterways. Substitute-mode competitor rather than direct barge peer.
• CSX Transportation: Major Class I freight railroad operating across the eastern U.S., competing with Ingram for bulk commodity freight (coal, chemicals, grain, fertilizers). Not a barge peer but a direct modal competitor for the same shipper budgets.

Direct peers

• Watco Companies: Pittsburgh, Kansas-based multi-modal transportation and supply chain services company with inland barge, rail terminals, and logistics operations. Comparable barge transportation capability plus adjacent terminal/logistics synergies similar to Ingram's integrated platform.
• American Commercial Lines: Private inland barge operator headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, offering dry and liquid cargo transportation across the U.S. inland waterway system. Directly comparable to Ingram in core inland barge services and customer mix.
• Marquette Transportation Company: Paducah, Kentucky-based inland barge operator providing dry and liquid cargo services across the Mississippi River system and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Comparable route network, fleet composition, and commodity mix.
• Kirby Corporation: NYSE-listed (KEX) largest U.S. tank barge operator with significant inland barge presence, focused on liquid cargo (petroleum, chemicals). Closest publicly traded comp for Ingram's liquids segment and a benchmark for fleet economics and capital intensity.
• Campbell Transportation: Inland barge carrier focused on dry bulk cargo transportation across U.S. rivers, headquartered in the Midwest. Comparable dry cargo business model and customer base to Ingram's core dry operation.
• Canal Barge Company: New Orleans-based inland marine transportation company operating dry and liquid cargo barges on the Mississippi River system and Gulf. Family-owned mid-scale peer with similar commodity and customer exposure.
• Heartland Barge Management: Smaller-scale inland barge operator providing transportation services on the U.S. river system. Direct peer at smaller scale with overlapping service offering and route geography.

Regional players

• Florida Marine Transporters: Regional inland and Gulf Intracoastal barge carrier specializing in liquid and dry cargo with a southeastern U.S. footprint. Comparable tank and hopper barge operations with a more regionally concentrated geographic profile than Ingram.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IngramBargeCompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/IngramMarineGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ingram-barge-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/ingrammarinegroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Ingram Barge Company