Terral River Services
Terral River Services is a family-owned inland marine transportation and logistics company operating 60+ towboats and barges on the Mississippi, Red, and Atchafalaya Rivers, serving enterprise customers in construction aggregates, energy, steel, agriculture, and oilfield services with turnkey freight, aggregate sales, harbor, and storage solutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersLake Providence, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Terral River Services does
Terral River Services Inc. is a privately held, family-owned inland marine transportation and logistics company headquartered in Lake Providence, Louisiana. The company operates a fleet of more than 60 towboats and barges providing 24/7/365 dry bulk freight services on the Mississippi River, Red River, Atchafalaya River, Ouachita River, and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, serving enterprise customers in construction aggregates, energy/utilities, steel manufacturing, agriculture, and oil and gas services. Named customers include Vulcan Materials, Nucor, Savage/CLECO, Lansing Trade Group, and Mississippi Sand, with multi-year charter and turnkey logistics agreements that anchor revenue.
The company's core technical assets include custom-designed towboats (4,600 HP and 4,250 HP units) with V-bow hulls and barn-door rudders engineered for Red River conditions, retractable wheelhouse vessels for low-bridge operation, custom unloading rigs capable of offloading on virtually any navigable inland waterway, and an owned network of six aggregate/lime yards, harbor service locations, grain storage facilities (450,000 bushels at Tallulah), and warehouse space at Port of Natchitoches. Supporting digital tooling includes a Freight Rate Calculator developed with Robert Miller & Associates. The company is currently executing a 42-barge construction program with Trinity Industries.
Revenue is generated through four streams: marine transportation (towboat and barge freight on charter and contract basis), aggregate and limestone product sales from six yard locations, storage and handling services for grains, fertilizers, frac sand, and aggregates, and harbor services (barge cleaning and above-water repair). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with dedicated managers for marine logistics, aggregate sales, and business development across the Lower Mississippi, Red River, and inland waterways of Louisiana and south Arkansas. The company originated in 1946 with John Terral's farm supply business, was formally incorporated in 1992 through the merger of Terral Barge Line and Great River Grain, and is currently led by Chairman/CEO Tom Gattle and President Gabe Gattle (third-generation).
Terral River Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Terral River Services
- Legal name
- Terral River Services Inc.
- Website
- https://terralriverservice.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Terral River Services is a family-owned inland marine transportation and logistics company operating 60+ towboats and barges on the Mississippi, Red, and Atchafalaya Rivers, serving enterprise customers in construction aggregates, energy, steel, agriculture, and oilfield services with turnkey freight, aggregate sales, harbor, and storage solutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Terral River Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Inland Waterway Logistics
- NAICS
- Inland Water Transportation (48321), Water Transportation (483), Marine Cargo Handling (48832)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Barge & Offshore Towage (Barge Moves, Rig/Platform Tows) (TLAHAHAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Stevedoring & Vessel Loading/Discharging (Ship-to-Shore Operations) (TLAHALAA), Terminal & Shipyard Towage (Intra-Port/Facility Moves) (TLAHAHAI)
Keywords
Where Terral River Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lake Providence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Terral River Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Marine Transportation Services: River transportation of dry bulk commodities via towboats and barges, operating 24/7/365 on the Mississippi River, Red River, Atchafalaya River, and inland waterways. Revenue is generated through charter agreements, towing contracts, and freight fees based on tonnage and distance.
- Aggregate and Limestone Sales: Sale of limestone rock in all grades and sizes, including ag lime, through six conveniently located aggregate/lime yard sites. Revenue from product sales to construction, agricultural, and industrial customers.
- Storage and Handling Services: Warehousing and storage services for various commodities including grains, fertilizers, frac sand, and aggregates. Revenue generated through storage fees and handling/loading charges.
- Harbor Services: Barge cleaning and above-water barge repairs offered at multiple harbor service locations including Blytheville, AR, Lettsworth, LA, Tallulah, LA, Lake Providence, LA, and Vidalia, LA.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Terral River Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Terral River Services operates towboat and barge fleets providing 24/7/365 marine transportation of dry bulk commodities along the Mississippi, Red, Atchafalaya, and Ouachita Rivers. The company delivers vertically integrated logistics including barge transportation, stevedoring and custom unloading, barge cleaning and repair, aggregate and limestone product sales, and commodity warehousing. Customers include construction aggregate operators, energy utilities, agricultural cooperatives, and oil and gas service companies.
Product overview
Terral RiverService is a river transportation and logistics company offering marine barge services, cargo handling, and land-based commodity operations. The core offerings include Marine Transportation Services (towboat and barge freight moving along Mississippi River tributaries) and Load/Unload Solutions (stevedoring and material handling). Supporting these are harbor services (barge cleaning and repair), aggregate/lime sales from six Louisiana yards, and warehouse storage capabilities. A Freight Rate Calculator tool provides customers shipping cost estimates.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Marine Transportation Services River barge and towboat transportation services moving dry bulk commodities along the Mississippi River, Red River, Atchafalaya River, Ouachita River, and Intracoastal Waterway. Operates 24/7/365 with charter agreements and towing contracts billed by tonnage and distance for construction aggregate, energy, agricultural, and industrial customers.
- Load/Unload Solutions Stevedoring, cargo handling, and material transfer services including custom unloading from river banks using specialized unloading rigs engineered to operate on virtually any navigable inland waterway. Includes load-out services for grains, aggregates, cotton seed, and fertilizers.
- Aggregate/Lime Sales Sale of limestone rock in all grades and sizes plus agricultural lime (ag lime) through six conveniently located aggregate/lime yard sites across Louisiana (Lettsworth, Vidalia, Tallulah, Lake Providence, Columbia, Natchez). Customers include construction, agricultural, and industrial buyers.
- Harbor Services Barge cleaning and above-water barge repair services offered at multiple harbor service locations including Blytheville, AR, Lettsworth, LA, Tallulah, LA, Lake Providence, LA, and Vidalia, LA. Also includes fleeting services.
- Warehouse Storage Warehouse storage services at the Port of Natchitoches and other locations for aggregates, cottonseed, salt, grains, fertilizer, frac sand, and specialty cargo. Includes 450,000 bushels of grain storage at Tallulah, Louisiana.
- Freight Rate Calculator Free online tool developed in partnership with Robert Miller & Associates, providing instant freight shipping rate estimates for river cargo transport based on cargo type, amount, and shipping destination. Available to prospective and current customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- A barge can carry one ton of cargo 514 miles per gallon of fuel compared to 202 miles by train and 52 miles by truck
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Terral River Services
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Terral River Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Terral River Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.
- Savage/CLECOflagshipRenewed vessel charter agreement for three vessels to move petroleum coke to the CLECO Power Plant Facility on the Red River. Boats operate between New Orleans, LA and Boyce, LA. Original partnership established around 2010 for Madison 3 power plant contract requiring up to 30 barges per week of pet coke and limestone.
- Kinder MorgancoreAcquired Kinder Morgan's river assets in December 2017, including the Barfield fleet at mile marker 810 and Hickman fleet at mile marker 823 on the Lower Mississippi River, and the Decatur fleet in Alabama.
- Nucor CorporationmajorOne of the largest steel producers in the United States. Nucor partnered with Terral for more cost-effective modes of transportation for their materials.
- Vulcan Materials CompanyflagshipStrategic partnership agreement for transportation services and marketing of aggregates. Terral provides turnkey transportation solutions from Vulcan's Grand Rivers Quarry to customers' sites. Both companies handle aggregate marketing based on territories and service efficiencies. Expanded in 2018 to include Mid-America region (Memphis, TN and Tunica, MS) with towing and offloading services.
- American Waterways OperatorscoreIndustry trade association representing the American commercial maritime industry. Terral operates as a member, aligning with the organization's sustainability and safety standards. Terral only works with carriers that are members of the American Waterways Organization or with a Responsible Carrier Program.
- Inland Rivers Ports and TerminalscoreTrade association representing inland river ports and terminals. Terral maintains membership as part of its industry engagement and operational standards alignment.
- Red River Valley AssociationminorAssociation supporting navigation and commerce on the Red River. Terral participates in weekly call-in updates with the association, National Weather Service, and Corps of Engineers to stay informed on changing weather and river conditions.
- Ouachita River Valley AssociationminorTrade association supporting commerce on the Ouachita River. Terral operates on this waterway and maintains membership for industry networking.
- NewSouth Marine Construction Inc.coreShip builder that has constructed the majority of Terral's towboat fleet. Built vessels with custom V-bow hull designs and barn-door rudders specifically engineered for Red River conditions. Completed multiple boats including the M/V Amy T, M/V Kim King, M/V Mary Elizabeth Gattle, and M/V Hallie T.
- Lansing Trade GroupmajorOriginal customer for grain storage facilities at Tallulah, Louisiana. Entrepreneurial merchandising company that markets, stores and distributes commodities. Terral extends contract with Lansing for grain handling and storage services.
- Mississippi Sand, LLCmajorManufacturer and distributor of high quality frac sand for oil and gas service industry. Operating since approximately 2015 to store frac sand at Terral's Natchitoches warehouse as overflow storage, requiring 24/7/365 service availability.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Terral River Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Blessey Marine Services: Family-owned inland marine transportation company headquartered on the Lower Mississippi, operating towboats and barges carrying dry and liquid bulk. Direct competitor to Terral in the same regional waterway system.
- Ingram Marine Group (Ingram Barge Company): Largest operator of dry cargo barges on the U.S. inland waterway system, including the Lower Mississippi. Directly comparable to Terral in marine transportation of dry bulk commodities via towboats and barges, though at substantially greater scale.
- SCF Marine (St. Louis Cement Co. / SCF Marine): Inland marine barge fleeting, cleaning, and repair services operator on the Lower Mississippi River. Comparable to Terral's harbor services locations including Blytheville, Lake Providence, and Vidalia.
- Magnolia Marine Transport Company: Inland marine barge operator active on the Mississippi River and Intracoastal Waterway transporting dry bulk commodities. Comparable to Terral in core towboat/barge services and customer mix.
- Marquette Transportation Company: Inland marine transportation company operating towboats and barges along the Mississippi River, Ohio River, and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Closely comparable in business model to Terral's core marine solutions.
- Canal Barge Company: New Orleans-based inland marine transportation company operating tank barges and dry cargo barges on the Mississippi River system. Overlaps with Terral in inland barge transport and harbor/fleeting services.
- ARTCO Fleeting Services: Barge fleeting and harbor services operator on the Lower Mississippi River, providing barge cleaning, repair, and storage. Directly comparable to Terral's harbor services segment.
Broad incumbents
- Kirby Corporation: Public inland marine transportation leader with significant barge operations on the Mississippi River system and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Overlaps with Terral in dry bulk barge transport, while also serving petrochemical and coastal markets.
- Martin Resource Management: Diversified provider of transportation, logistics, and energy-related services including barge fleeting, terminaling, and marine supply. Comparable in multi-segment services, though more weighted to liquids and energy logistics.
Emerging players
- CGB Enterprises: Diversified agribusiness with grain handling, transportation, and barge operations on the inland waterway system. Overlaps with Terral's grain storage and aggregate distribution capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Terral River Services social profiles
Digital presenceTerral River Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Terral River Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Terral River Services subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Terral River Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Terral River Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Terral River Services
What does Terral River Services do?
Terral River Services operates towboat and barge fleets providing 24/7/365 marine transportation of dry bulk commodities along the Mississippi, Red, Atchafalaya, and Ouachita Rivers. The company delivers vertically integrated logistics including barge transportation, stevedoring and custom unloading, barge cleaning and repair, aggregate and limestone product sales, and commodity warehousing. Customers include construction aggregate operators, energy utilities, agricultural cooperatives, and oil and gas service companies.
Is Terral River Services a public or private company?
Terral River Services is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Terral River Services founded?
Terral River Services was founded in 1946. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Terral River Services based?
Terral River Services is headquartered in Lake Providence, United States, in the North America region.
How does Terral River Services make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Marine Transportation Services are the primary driver. The others are aggregate and Limestone Sales, storage and Handling Services and harbor Services.
Who are Terral River Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Blessey Marine Services, Ingram Marine Group (Ingram Barge Company), SCF Marine (St. Louis Cement Co. / SCF Marine), Magnolia Marine Transport Company, Marquette Transportation Company, Canal Barge Company and ARTCO Fleeting Services. Broad incumbents are Kirby Corporation and Martin Resource Management. CGB Enterprises is listed as an emerging player.
Does Terral River Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Terral River Services.
What industry is Terral River Services in?
Terral River Services's product category is Inland Waterway Logistics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAHAHAF, Barge & Offshore Towage (Barge Moves, Rig/Platform Tows), with a secondary code of TLAHALAA, Stevedoring & Vessel Loading/Discharging (Ship-to-Shore Operations). Its NAICS code is 48321 and its SIC code is 4400.