Part 2/10:
The significance of this waterway is grounded in its remarkable efficiency. Barges navigating the Mississippi can transport goods far more economically compared to trucks and trains. While trucks can carry a ton of cargo 145 miles on a gallon of fuel, and trains can extend that distance to 477 miles, barges can transport the same ton over a staggering 647 miles. Moreover, a single barge holds the equivalent load of 35 rail cars or 134 trucks, and a tugboat can maneuver upwards of 30 barges at once—this orchestration leads to substantial economies of scale and a sharp cost advantage in transportation.