Kentucky’s waterways are a valuable transportation resource, providing a waterway link between the Great Lakes, Canada, Mexico and the Panama Canal. More than 92 million tons of cargo, pre-dominantly coal and aggregates, were transported through Kentucky’s waterways during 2011.

Kentucky has more than 1,590 miles of navigable waterways and ranks fourth nationally in inland waterways.

$29.2 billion of cargo was shipped over that highway last year, ranking seventh in the nation.

Our waterways and ports create more than 15,000 jobs and contribute $2.5 billion to the economy annually.

To remain competitive, the public ports need to make significant improvements in their facilities. These investments total nearly $3.5 million each year over the next 20 years.