Skip to content
PalanorPalanor

Size of the US Water Transportation industry

NAICS 483, Water Transportation. Every figure on this page was published by a federal statistical agency and carries its source and period. Palanor does not estimate: a period the agency didn’t publish shows as missing, and a figure it withheld shows as withheld.

Key figures

Receipts (sales, shipments or revenue)
$52.2 billion
2022 · Economic Census
All establishments, current dollars
Value added (GDP by industry)
$24.0 billion
2025 · GDP by Industry
Current dollars
Revenue, not seasonally adjusted
$18.1 billion
2026-Q2 · Quarterly Services Survey
Employer firms, current dollars
Employment
67,616
2026-Q1 · Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Private-sector jobs in the third month of each quarter
Establishments
2,560
2026-Q1 · Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Private ownership
Firms
1,301
2022 · Economic Census

Over time

Revenue, seasonally adjusted · Quarterly Services SurveyLatest $18.0 billion · 2026-Q2
2010-Q1: $8.8 billion2010-Q2: $9.2 billion2010-Q3: $9.8 billion2010-Q4: $9.6 billion2011-Q1: $9.7 billion2011-Q2: $9.7 billion2011-Q3: $9.8 billion2011-Q4: $10.5 billion2012-Q1: $10.6 billion2012-Q2: $10.5 billion2012-Q3: $10.0 billion2012-Q4: $10.8 billion2013-Q1: $10.8 billion2013-Q2: $10.5 billion2013-Q3: $10.7 billion2013-Q4: $10.8 billion2014-Q1: $11.4 billion2014-Q2: $11.4 billion2014-Q3: $11.0 billion2014-Q4: $11.3 billion2015-Q1: $11.1 billion2015-Q2: $11.0 billion2015-Q3: $10.9 billion2015-Q4: $10.9 billion2016-Q1: $10.7 billion2016-Q2: $10.7 billion2016-Q3: $10.8 billion2016-Q4: $10.6 billion2017-Q1: $10.6 billion2017-Q2: $10.5 billion2017-Q3: $11.1 billion2017-Q4: $10.8 billion2018-Q1: $11.0 billion2018-Q2: $11.4 billion2018-Q3: $11.8 billion2018-Q4: $11.9 billion2019-Q1: $11.9 billion2019-Q2: $12.1 billion2019-Q3: $12.2 billion2019-Q4: $12.6 billion2020-Q1: $12.7 billion2020-Q2: $6.5 billion2020-Q3: $5.6 billion2020-Q4: $5.6 billion2021-Q1: $5.8 billion2021-Q2: $6.1 billion2021-Q3: $6.3 billion2021-Q4: $9.4 billion2022-Q1: $10.3 billion2022-Q2: $12.4 billion2022-Q3: $13.7 billion2022-Q4: $14.1 billion2023-Q1: $14.6 billion2023-Q2: $15.0 billion2023-Q3: $15.1 billion2023-Q4: $15.3 billion2024-Q1: $15.7 billion2024-Q2: $16.2 billion2024-Q3: $16.9 billion2024-Q4: $17.0 billion2025-Q1: $17.0 billion2025-Q2: $16.7 billion2025-Q3: $17.1 billion2025-Q4: $17.2 billion2026-Q1: $17.6 billion2026-Q2: $18.0 billion
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
2026-Q2$18.0 billion
2026-Q1$17.6 billion
2025-Q4$17.2 billion
2025-Q3$17.1 billion
2025-Q2$16.7 billion
2025-Q1$17.0 billion
2024-Q4$17.0 billion
2024-Q3$16.9 billion
2024-Q2$16.2 billion
2024-Q1$15.7 billion
2023-Q4$15.3 billion
2023-Q3$15.1 billion
2023-Q2$15.0 billion
2023-Q1$14.6 billion
2022-Q4$14.1 billion
2022-Q3$13.7 billion
2022-Q2$12.4 billion
2022-Q1$10.3 billion
2021-Q4$9.4 billion
2021-Q3$6.3 billion
2021-Q2$6.1 billion
2021-Q1$5.8 billion
2020-Q4$5.6 billion
2020-Q3$5.6 billion
2020-Q2$6.5 billion
2020-Q1$12.7 billion
2019-Q4$12.6 billion
2019-Q3$12.2 billion
2019-Q2$12.1 billion
2019-Q1$11.9 billion
2018-Q4$11.9 billion
2018-Q3$11.8 billion
2018-Q2$11.4 billion
2018-Q1$11.0 billion
2017-Q4$10.8 billion
2017-Q3$11.1 billion
2017-Q2$10.5 billion
2017-Q1$10.6 billion
2016-Q4$10.6 billion
2016-Q3$10.8 billion
2016-Q2$10.7 billion
2016-Q1$10.7 billion
2015-Q4$10.9 billion
2015-Q3$10.9 billion
2015-Q2$11.0 billion
2015-Q1$11.1 billion
2014-Q4$11.3 billion
2014-Q3$11.0 billion
2014-Q2$11.4 billion
2014-Q1$11.4 billion
2013-Q4$10.8 billion
2013-Q3$10.7 billion
2013-Q2$10.5 billion
2013-Q1$10.8 billion
2012-Q4$10.8 billion
2012-Q3$10.0 billion
2012-Q2$10.5 billion
2012-Q1$10.6 billion
2011-Q4$10.5 billion
2011-Q3$9.8 billion
2011-Q2$9.7 billion
2011-Q1$9.7 billion
2010-Q4$9.6 billion
2010-Q3$9.8 billion
2010-Q2$9.2 billion
2010-Q1$8.8 billion

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Services Survey · Employer firms, current dollars · Agency label: Water Transportation

Value added, seasonally adjusted annual rate · GDP by IndustryLatest $23.5 billion · 2026-Q1
2005-Q1: $8.3 billion2005-Q2: $8.2 billion2005-Q3: $8.8 billion2005-Q4: $9.9 billion2006-Q1: $12.0 billion2006-Q2: $12.3 billion2006-Q3: $12.8 billion2006-Q4: $13.8 billion2007-Q1: $14.0 billion2007-Q2: $14.2 billion2007-Q3: $13.8 billion2007-Q4: $14.8 billion2008-Q1: $15.5 billion2008-Q2: $15.8 billion2008-Q3: $16.1 billion2008-Q4: $18.3 billion2009-Q1: $16.6 billion2009-Q2: $15.5 billion2009-Q3: $15.1 billion2009-Q4: $15.3 billion2010-Q1: $14.1 billion2010-Q2: $14.6 billion2010-Q3: $15.4 billion2010-Q4: $14.5 billion2011-Q1: $14.5 billion2011-Q2: $14.1 billion2011-Q3: $13.9 billion2011-Q4: $14.0 billion2012-Q1: $13.2 billion2012-Q2: $12.9 billion2012-Q3: $12.5 billion2012-Q4: $14.0 billion2013-Q1: $16.0 billion2013-Q2: $16.6 billion2013-Q3: $16.9 billion2013-Q4: $17.9 billion2014-Q1: $17.2 billion2014-Q2: $17.0 billion2014-Q3: $16.4 billion2014-Q4: $16.7 billion2015-Q1: $17.1 billion2015-Q2: $16.8 billion2015-Q3: $16.6 billion2015-Q4: $16.1 billion2016-Q1: $15.3 billion2016-Q2: $14.6 billion2016-Q3: $13.9 billion2016-Q4: $13.5 billion2017-Q1: $13.5 billion2017-Q2: $13.7 billion2017-Q3: $14.2 billion2017-Q4: $14.5 billion2018-Q1: $15.1 billion2018-Q2: $15.8 billion2018-Q3: $15.9 billion2018-Q4: $15.8 billion2019-Q1: $15.9 billion2019-Q2: $15.7 billion2019-Q3: $15.4 billion2019-Q4: $15.1 billion2020-Q1: $15.2 billion2020-Q2: $11.5 billion2020-Q3: $11.4 billion2020-Q4: $13.1 billion2021-Q1: $13.8 billion2021-Q2: $18.0 billion2021-Q3: $22.0 billion2021-Q4: $25.5 billion2022-Q1: $21.9 billion2022-Q2: $21.3 billion2022-Q3: $21.9 billion2022-Q4: $19.9 billion2023-Q1: $20.9 billion2023-Q2: $23.0 billion2023-Q3: $24.7 billion2023-Q4: $23.3 billion2024-Q1: $23.3 billion2024-Q2: $25.0 billion2024-Q3: $26.1 billion2024-Q4: $23.0 billion2025-Q1: $23.3 billion2025-Q2: $24.0 billion2025-Q3: $24.9 billion2025-Q4: $23.7 billion2026-Q1: $23.5 billion
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
2026-Q1$23.5 billion
2025-Q4$23.7 billion
2025-Q3$24.9 billion
2025-Q2$24.0 billion
2025-Q1$23.3 billion
2024-Q4$23.0 billion
2024-Q3$26.1 billion
2024-Q2$25.0 billion
2024-Q1$23.3 billion
2023-Q4$23.3 billion
2023-Q3$24.7 billion
2023-Q2$23.0 billion
2023-Q1$20.9 billion
2022-Q4$19.9 billion
2022-Q3$21.9 billion
2022-Q2$21.3 billion
2022-Q1$21.9 billion
2021-Q4$25.5 billion
2021-Q3$22.0 billion
2021-Q2$18.0 billion
2021-Q1$13.8 billion
2020-Q4$13.1 billion
2020-Q3$11.4 billion
2020-Q2$11.5 billion
2020-Q1$15.2 billion
2019-Q4$15.1 billion
2019-Q3$15.4 billion
2019-Q2$15.7 billion
2019-Q1$15.9 billion
2018-Q4$15.8 billion
2018-Q3$15.9 billion
2018-Q2$15.8 billion
2018-Q1$15.1 billion
2017-Q4$14.5 billion
2017-Q3$14.2 billion
2017-Q2$13.7 billion
2017-Q1$13.5 billion
2016-Q4$13.5 billion
2016-Q3$13.9 billion
2016-Q2$14.6 billion
2016-Q1$15.3 billion
2015-Q4$16.1 billion
2015-Q3$16.6 billion
2015-Q2$16.8 billion
2015-Q1$17.1 billion
2014-Q4$16.7 billion
2014-Q3$16.4 billion
2014-Q2$17.0 billion
2014-Q1$17.2 billion
2013-Q4$17.9 billion
2013-Q3$16.9 billion
2013-Q2$16.6 billion
2013-Q1$16.0 billion
2012-Q4$14.0 billion
2012-Q3$12.5 billion
2012-Q2$12.9 billion
2012-Q1$13.2 billion
2011-Q4$14.0 billion
2011-Q3$13.9 billion
2011-Q2$14.1 billion
2011-Q1$14.5 billion
2010-Q4$14.5 billion
2010-Q3$15.4 billion
2010-Q2$14.6 billion
2010-Q1$14.1 billion
2009-Q4$15.3 billion
2009-Q3$15.1 billion
2009-Q2$15.5 billion
2009-Q1$16.6 billion
2008-Q4$18.3 billion
2008-Q3$16.1 billion
2008-Q2$15.8 billion
2008-Q1$15.5 billion
2007-Q4$14.8 billion
2007-Q3$13.8 billion
2007-Q2$14.2 billion
2007-Q1$14.0 billion
2006-Q4$13.8 billion
2006-Q3$12.8 billion
2006-Q2$12.3 billion
2006-Q1$12.0 billion
2005-Q4$9.9 billion
2005-Q3$8.8 billion
2005-Q2$8.2 billion
2005-Q1$8.3 billion

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by Industry · Current dollars · Agency label: Water transportation

Employment · Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesLatest 67,616 · 2026-Q1
2019-Q1: 63,1962019-Q2: 67,8742019-Q3: 68,1922019-Q4: 65,4372020-Q1: 64,3712020-Q2: 57,6472020-Q3: 55,9972020-Q4: 55,1982021-Q1: 55,2222021-Q2: 59,3652021-Q3: 60,6962021-Q4: 60,0252022-Q1: 60,0522022-Q2: 65,0432022-Q3: 65,9902022-Q4: 65,0292023-Q1: 65,4032023-Q2: 69,7122023-Q3: 68,4482023-Q4: 66,6892024-Q1: 66,7632024-Q2: 69,3792024-Q3: 68,9822024-Q4: 67,3372025-Q1: 66,9002025-Q2: 69,7602025-Q3: 69,9702025-Q4: 67,8002026-Q1: 67,616NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
PeriodValueNAICS
2026-Q167,6162022
2025-Q467,8002022
2025-Q369,9702022
2025-Q269,7602022
2025-Q166,9002022
2024-Q467,3372022
2024-Q368,9822022
2024-Q269,3792022
2024-Q166,7632022
2023-Q466,6892022
2023-Q368,4482022
2023-Q269,7122022
2023-Q165,4032022
2022-Q465,0292022
2022-Q365,9902022
2022-Q265,0432022
2022-Q160,0522022
2021-Q460,0252017
2021-Q360,6962017
2021-Q259,3652017
2021-Q155,2222017
2020-Q455,1982017
2020-Q355,9972017
2020-Q257,6472017
2020-Q164,3712017
2019-Q465,4372017
2019-Q368,1922017
2019-Q267,8742017
2019-Q163,1962017

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private-sector jobs in the third month of each quarter

Employment · County Business PatternsLatest 62,806 · 2023
2017: 61,7622018: 61,5302019: 62,1832020: 64,6652021: 56,4302022: 60,6352023: 62,806
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
202362,806
202260,635
202156,430
202064,665
201962,183
201861,530
201761,762

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns · Paid employees in the pay period including March 12

Establishments · Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesLatest 2,560 · 2026-Q1
2019-Q1: 2,0672019-Q2: 2,0932019-Q3: 2,1122019-Q4: 2,1292020-Q1: 2,1162020-Q2: 2,1222020-Q3: 2,1522020-Q4: 2,1722021-Q1: 2,1752021-Q2: 2,2072021-Q3: 2,2572021-Q4: 2,2752022-Q1: 2,2632022-Q2: 2,3152022-Q3: 2,3612022-Q4: 2,3832023-Q1: 2,4302023-Q2: 2,4612023-Q3: 2,4862023-Q4: 2,4842024-Q1: 2,4822024-Q2: 2,5202024-Q3: 2,5472024-Q4: 2,5572025-Q1: 2,5072025-Q2: 2,5152025-Q3: 2,5272025-Q4: 2,5362026-Q1: 2,560NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
PeriodValueNAICS
2026-Q12,5602022
2025-Q42,5362022
2025-Q32,5272022
2025-Q22,5152022
2025-Q12,5072022
2024-Q42,5572022
2024-Q32,5472022
2024-Q22,5202022
2024-Q12,4822022
2023-Q42,4842022
2023-Q32,4862022
2023-Q22,4612022
2023-Q12,4302022
2022-Q42,3832022
2022-Q32,3612022
2022-Q22,3152022
2022-Q12,2632022
2021-Q42,2752017
2021-Q32,2572017
2021-Q22,2072017
2021-Q12,1752017
2020-Q42,1722017
2020-Q32,1522017
2020-Q22,1222017
2020-Q12,1162017
2019-Q42,1292017
2019-Q32,1122017
2019-Q22,0932017
2019-Q12,0672017

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private ownership

Establishments · County Business PatternsLatest 1,790 · 2023
2017: 1,6682018: 1,6462019: 1,6532020: 1,7152021: 1,7922022: 1,7802023: 1,790
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
20231,790
20221,780
20211,792
20201,715
20191,653
20181,646
20171,668

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns

Total wages in the quarter · Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesLatest $2.7 billion · 2026-Q1
2019-Q1: $1.6 billion2019-Q2: $1.4 billion2019-Q3: $1.4 billion2019-Q4: $1.5 billion2020-Q1: $1.6 billion2020-Q2: $1.3 billion2020-Q3: $1.2 billion2020-Q4: $1.4 billion2021-Q1: $1.4 billion2021-Q2: $1.3 billion2021-Q3: $1.4 billion2021-Q4: $1.5 billion2022-Q1: $1.6 billion2022-Q2: $1.5 billion2022-Q3: $1.6 billion2022-Q4: $1.7 billion2023-Q1: $1.9 billion2023-Q2: $1.7 billion2023-Q3: $1.7 billion2023-Q4: $1.8 billion2024-Q1: $2.2 billion2024-Q2: $1.8 billion2024-Q3: $1.8 billion2024-Q4: $1.9 billion2025-Q1: $2.4 billion2025-Q2: $1.9 billion2025-Q3: $1.9 billion2025-Q4: $2.0 billion2026-Q1: $2.7 billionNAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
PeriodValueNAICS
2026-Q1$2.7 billion2022
2025-Q4$2.0 billion2022
2025-Q3$1.9 billion2022
2025-Q2$1.9 billion2022
2025-Q1$2.4 billion2022
2024-Q4$1.9 billion2022
2024-Q3$1.8 billion2022
2024-Q2$1.8 billion2022
2024-Q1$2.2 billion2022
2023-Q4$1.8 billion2022
2023-Q3$1.7 billion2022
2023-Q2$1.7 billion2022
2023-Q1$1.9 billion2022
2022-Q4$1.7 billion2022
2022-Q3$1.6 billion2022
2022-Q2$1.5 billion2022
2022-Q1$1.6 billion2022
2021-Q4$1.5 billion2017
2021-Q3$1.4 billion2017
2021-Q2$1.3 billion2017
2021-Q1$1.4 billion2017
2020-Q4$1.4 billion2017
2020-Q3$1.2 billion2017
2020-Q2$1.3 billion2017
2020-Q1$1.6 billion2017
2019-Q4$1.5 billion2017
2019-Q3$1.4 billion2017
2019-Q2$1.4 billion2017
2019-Q1$1.6 billion2017

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private ownership

Annual payroll · County Business PatternsLatest $6.8 billion · 2023
2017: $5.2 billion2018: $5.3 billion2019: $5.5 billion2020: $5.4 billion2021: $5.3 billion2022: $6.1 billion2023: $6.8 billion
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
2023$6.8 billion
2022$6.1 billion
2021$5.3 billion
2020$5.4 billion
2019$5.5 billion
2018$5.3 billion
2017$5.2 billion

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns

The ledger

Every published measure

MeasureSourceLatestPeriodHistory
Value added (GDP by industry)Current dollarsGDP by Industry$24.0 billion20251997–2025 · 29 published
Value added, seasonally adjusted annual rateCurrent dollarsGDP by Industry$23.5 billion2026-Q12005-Q1–2026-Q1 · 85 published
EmploymentPrivate-sector jobs in the third month of each quarterQuarterly Census of Employment and Wages67,6162026-Q12019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published
EstablishmentsPrivate ownershipQuarterly Census of Employment and Wages2,5602026-Q12019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published
Total wages in the quarterPrivate ownershipQuarterly Census of Employment and Wages$2.7 billion2026-Q12019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published
Annual payrollCounty Business Patterns$6.8 billion20232017–2023 · 7 published
EmploymentPaid employees in the pay period including March 12County Business Patterns62,80620232017–2023 · 7 published
EstablishmentsCounty Business Patterns1,79020232017–2023 · 7 published
Annual payrollEconomic Census$5.9 billion20222017–2022 · 2 published
EmploymentPaid employees in the pay period including March 12Economic Census65,60220222017–2022 · 2 published
EstablishmentsEconomic Census1,59520222017–2022 · 2 published
FirmsEconomic Census1,30120222017–2022 · 2 published
Receipts (sales, shipments or revenue)All establishments, current dollarsEconomic Census$52.2 billion20222017–2022 · 2 published
Revenue, not seasonally adjustedEmployer firms, current dollarsQuarterly Services Survey$18.1 billion2026-Q22010-Q1–2026-Q2 · 66 published
Revenue, seasonally adjustedEmployer firms, current dollarsQuarterly Services Survey$18.0 billion2026-Q22010-Q1–2026-Q2 · 66 published

Breakdown

Industries within Water Transportation

NAICSIndustrySizeEmployment
4831Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation$44.0 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census40,4102026-Q1 · QCEW
4832Inland Water Transportation$8.3 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census27,2062026-Q1 · QCEW

Companies

Public companies in this industry

Companies Palanor tracks whose GICS classification maps to NAICS 483. The mapping is Palanor’s, one GICS sub-industry to one NAICS code; a company’s own mix of business can span several.

  • KEX Kirby Corporation

Sources

Where every number comes from

Figures are in current dollars and are the agencies’ own, revised when they revise. Each program defines its universe differently (employer firms, private ownership, all establishments), so figures from different sources are not meant to add up. This page is not endorsed by the Census Bureau, BEA or BLS. The same data is in the Palanor API (/v1/industries) and the MCP (palanor_get_industry). All industries.