Unlocking Freight Capacity on Inland Waterways with OpenTug

Barges move over 70 percent of U.S. grain and can carry the equivalent of 4,000 truckloads with a single tugboat. Yet this massive freight channel has remained invisible to most supply chains due to outdated systems and zero visibility. In this episode, OpenTug CEO Jason Aristides shares how his team is digitizing barge and tug operations with GPS tracking, AI-powered automation, and a modern marketplace experience. By unlocking real-time visibility and booking capabilities, OpenTug is helping shippers tap into a cleaner and more efficient way to move freight across America's 12,000 miles of inland waterways. Key takeaways: Barges are one of the most fuel-efficient and underused freight modes in North America A single barge move can replace thousands of truckloads with a fraction of the labor OpenTug brings real-time GPS and predictive ETAs to an industry that ran on email chains Ports like New Orleans are investing heavily in container barge terminals More visibility and automation will help eliminate empty miles and reduce emissionsLINKS:Jason's LinkedInOpenTug's LinkedInOpenTug on CargoRexWATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE -----------------------------------------THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.