ECONOMIC IMPACT UPDATE OF THE GIWW AND USER ASSESSMENT

In 1994, the barge industry transported over 66 million tons of cargo with a dollar value of $26,497,269,000 along the Texas portion of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW). For some types of cargo, barges may be the most viable option for transportation; for others, it is one of several options depending on destination quantity, or customer preference. In order to understand the importance of the GIWW to many diverse users, cargo shipped in 1994 is analyzed first by dollar value and then by Waterborne Commerce of the United States (WCUS) commodity code. As might be expected of a great petro-chemical state, chemicals have the greatest value of all cargo shipped by barge and petroleum has the largest volume. Both chemicals and petroleum play a major economic role in Texas and thus a more detailed analysis of these two industries and their relationship to barges and the GIWW are presented. The findings of this research can be implemented when making policy decisions concerning the Texas portion of the GIWW and when providing public information on the GIWW in Texas. The results will be useful in educating the public, media, industry, and government agencies on the importance of GIWW barge transportation to the economy of Texas. The findings can also be implemented when providing information on a national scale about the economic importance of barge transportation on the Texas portion of the GIWW.