Waterborne Commerce

The WCSC collects, processes, distributes, and archives vessel trips and cargo data. These statistics are collected within the Oracle Waterborne System and the Lock Performance Monitoring System and are used by the WCSC to provide monthly indicators and an annual report on the foreign and domestic data on waterborne commerce statistics.

The Transportation Operational Waterborne Statistics (TOWS) Database

TOWS provides information on the movement of foreign and domestic vessels and commodities with an origin or destination in the United States. TOWS includes information on navigation points of interests, the usage of waterways ports, and USACE projects. Navigation points of interest data are published quarterly and all other data is updated annually. Federal agencies with a navigation related missions are primary users of NDC and WCSC data products. However, several federal agencies in particular regularly use the data or contribute to the overall data collection process, improving the final output. The Department of Energy U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), for example, uses data from WCSC (TOWS) related to specific energy commodities.

Monthly Indicators

The Monthly Indicators report compiles data from submitted vessel operation reports for the current calendar year and data from the Lock Performance Monitoring System (LPMS), which are combined to develop an estimate of tonnage by commodity. As vessel trip and cargo data require extensive processing, statistical models are used to give stakeholders access to real-time statistics.

As of March 2026, these statistical models have been refined to improve predictive power and more closely align estimates with actual reported tonnages.

These indicators are generated using linear regression models to "nowcast" Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center (WCSC) data by utilizing relationships between key Lock Performance Monitoring System (LPMS) reported tonnages and corresponding inland waterway values. Indicator models have been developed for a variety of commodity groupings, including Total commodities, Coal, Farm & Food, Chemical, and Petroleum.

Please note: These monthly estimates are superseded by actual WCSC data as it becomes available.

Waterborne Commerce of the United States (WCUS) Ports and Waterways Web Tool

The WCUS Ports and Waterways Web Tool is an interactive version of the WCUS report.

Waterborne Cargo and Trips Data Files (Manuscript Files)

The Waterborne Commerce of the United States (WCUS) is a series of publications which provide statistics on the foreign and domestic waterborne commerce moved on the waters of the United States. The Cargo and Trips files (Parts 1-4) present data on the movements of commodities at ports, harbors, waterways and canals of the United States and its territories.

National totals by traffic and commodity are provided under waterway code 9950.

Data on foreign commerce are supplied to the Corps of Engineers by the Bureau of Census. Data for the compilation of the domestic statistics are collected by the Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army.

2023 Cargo data in Excel format available here. 

2023 Trips data in Excel format available here. 

2004 - 2022 Archived data available here. 

Waterborne Commerce of the United States (WCUS)

Waterborne Commerce of the United States (WCUS) Annual Report that includes foreign and domestic data on waterborne commerce statistics. Domestic waterborne traffic movements within relevant geographic areas reported to USACE by all vessel operators. The reports are generally submitted monthly on the basis of individual vessel movements completed. Reports include all movements of domestic waterborne commercial vessels including but not limited to dry cargo ship and tanker moves, loaded and empty barge moves, towboat moves, with or without barges in tow, movements of crew boats and supply boats to offshore locations, tugboat moves, and movements of newly constructed vessels from the shipyard to the point of delivery. WCUS report combines foreign and domestic data and reports tonnage based on region, state, or waterway. 

Vessel Operation Report Engineering Forms 3925, 3925b, 3925c, 3925p

Available in PDF format here.

Available in Excel format here.

Ports and States Data

Waterborne Tonnage for Principal U.S. Ports and all 50 States and the U.S. Territories.
Waterborne Tonnages for Domestic, Foreign, Imports, Exports and Intra-State waterborne traffic.

2023 Ports and States Data

2003 to 2022 Archived Data available in Excel format here.

Commodity Code Definitions and Cross References

Commodity codes and descriptions as used in the Waterborne Commerce of the United States publication. Also contains references to commodity codes used in the Public Domain Database and commodity codes used by the Lock Performance Monitoring System.

Available in multiple formats here.

Hazardous Commodity Codes

In an effort to associate Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center's (WCSC) commodity codes (based upon Standard International Trade Classification, Revision 3) with hazardous commodity codes used by other Federal agencies and internationally, WCSC attempted to match WCSC codes with North American Emergency Response Guide (NAERG) guide numbers and hazard classes. WCSC enlisted the expertise of Dr. Joseph Svirbely, a Corps Senior Chemist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has succeeded in producing two products that identify which WCSC commodity codes represent hazards, and the types of hazards

Available in multiple formats here.

Annual U. S. Waterborne Container Traffic by Port/Waterway

Domestic and Foreign Loaded and Empty TEUS by Port, Waterway, and State

2023 Container Traffic by Port/Waterway

2003 to 2022 Archived data available in Excel format here.

Waterway/Port Codes and Descriptors

This file is to be used as a look up table with the Waterborne Commerce of the United States manuscript cargo data files. The waterway code (WWTY) is the common field that will link these data files. This link will associate the port name with the manuscript data.

Available in multiple formats here.