Supercharge Logistics with‍

Digitized

OpenTug is the first digital shipping network built to connect freight with barges and terminals nationwide. Take logistics in a new direction with software for shippers, terminals, carriers, and ports.

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 Start Shipping

Shipment requests from Memphis on OpenTug

Used by teams at:

We Serve...

Connecting Shippers to Tows, Barges, Transloads and Terminals.

Shippers

Easily book and manage terminals, storage, barges or vessel capacity in a seamless digital suite.

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Barge Operators

OpenTug provides marine companies with a collaborative marketplace and sales suite to help the world connect with their capacity. Make new connections with a simplified booking process, helping you get quotes out faster and close more deals.

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Ports & Terminals

OpenTerminal provides Ports and Terminals with a digital sales and marketing interface to drive new business and improve customer service. Make new connections on our marketplace and streamline with your new branded sales platform.

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Our Solutions

OpenTug Marketplace

OpenTug Marketplace connects shippers with barges, terminals, and storage facilities. OpenTug allows for easy coordination between stakeholders, with seamless workflow to handle bookings from request to delivery.

Book barges and terminals

Filter for access, capacity, and commodities

Browse service lanes and terminals

Request changes and edits

Track shipments and delays

Explore the Marketplace

Custom-branded OpenTug

Our integrated booking platform enables companies to improve process workflows, book more shippers, and increase operational efficiency. Custom-branded OpenTug offers the same branded platform as our native marketplace, customized for your existing website or customer portal.

Easy CRM and API integrations

Branded customer portals

Notifications, live chat, and service tracking

Billing management and digital payment

Reporting and customer dashboards

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Why OpenTug? Why Waterways?

We are organizing an inland shipping renaissance to move the world's goods efficiently.

Cost Effective

Inland marine transportation is significantly cheaper than other traditional modes such as rail or trucking because of the lower use of fuel.

More Efficient

OpenTug's tools and workflows allow sales and customer service teams to improve operational efficiency, reduce errors, and move more cargo.

Environmentally Friendly

Barge transportation releases over 90% less carbon than overland alternatives. Shipping by barge is by far the most sustainable transportation mode at scale.

1. Post a Request (it’s free!)

Choose from an existing sailing between two destinations, or customize a request to your specific needs. Your request is instantly forwarded to 75+ barge operators, to find the perfect provider for your load.

2. Get Matched to Transportation, Terminals, and Storage

Review quotes for barge and towing service, while finding the perfect load, unload, and storage facilities for your shipment. OpenTug will automatically match your request to over 15,000 locations in the US.

3. Manage your Shipment

After you’ve found the perfect provider, confirm the final details before signing documentation to lock in your service. Contracts are between you and the provider, not OpenTug, so you’re always welcome to communicate directly as needed.

What our clients say

"OpenTug is a need for us and the entire market. Customers are demanding more visibility and easier access to services, which OpenTug enables."

“OpenTug has allowed Island Freight Line to quickly put a short-sea concept into service, and give businesses and shippers an alternative method for transportation to the island of Nantucket.”

"We were really impressed with the level of detail and the quick responses. We've worked with other freight logistics brokers in the past and it's been a nightmare but with OpenTug, it was just a great experience the whole way through."

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
‍Project Cargo

No matter the dimensions of your load, OpenTug has barge capacity specialized for Project cargo needs.

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We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Grain

Grain and other bulk goods are being shipped across the US on OpenTug.

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We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Break Bulk Cargo

Ship Breakbulk across waterways with OpenTug.

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We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Heavy Equipment

OpenTug makes coordinating Heavy Equipment hauling easy.

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We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Oil & Gas

OpenTug takes the headache out of finding liquid bulk transport capacity for your petroleum products.

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We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Coal

Move coal on America's waterways with OpenTug. Our providers are experts at hauling bulk product.

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We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Metals

Ship iron, steel, and other metals across the waterways with OpenTug.

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We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Chemicals

Liquid and dry chemical shippers can find bulk marine capacity on OpenTug.

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2.6+

Million Tons
Requested

US Barge Capacity
in Network

>30%

About Us

We Are Passionate About Supercharging Marine Logistics

By building the first booking platform to connect Shippers, Barge Operators, and Terminals online, we are propelling logistics into the future. Our mission is simple yet transformative: Increase the efficiency of freight transport by utilizing inland & coastal waterways.
‍
Ready to join us on our journey?

About Us Get in Touch

Moving Marine Logistics Forward with OpenTug

OpenTug delivers the visibility and connectivity needed for shippers to fully utilize inland and coastal shipping.

Get Started

Supercharge Logistics with‍

We Serve...

Shippers

Barge Operators

Ports & Terminals

Our Solutions

OpenTug Marketplace

Custom-branded OpenTug

Why OpenTug? Why Waterways?

What our clients say

CoO, curtin maritime

OWNER, ISLAND FREIGHT LINE

"OpenTug is a need for us and the entire market. Customers are demanding more visibility and easier access to services, which OpenTug enables."

“OpenTug has allowed Island Freight Line to quickly put a short-sea concept into service, and give businesses and shippers an alternative method for transportation to the island of Nantucket.”

"We were really impressed with the level of detail and the quick responses. We've worked with other freight logistics brokers in the past and it's been a nightmare but with OpenTug, it was just a great experience the whole way through."

Project Cargo

Grain

Breakbulk

Heavy Equipment

Oil & Gas

Coal

Metals

Chemicals

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
‍Project Cargo

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Grain

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Break Bulk Cargo

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Heavy Equipment

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Oil & Gas

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Coal

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Metals

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Chemicals

We Are Passionate About Supercharging Marine Logistics

Top Stories

OpenTug: Your New Partner in Freight Forwarding

Will the Shipping Industry Emerge from the Shadows?

How Much Shipping in the US Still Takes Place Over Rivers?

Stay Tuned

Supercharge Logistics with‍

We Serve...

Shippers

Barge Operators

Ports & Terminals

Our Solutions

OpenTug Marketplace

Custom-branded OpenTug

Why OpenTug? Why Waterways?

What our clients say

CoO, curtin maritime

OWNER, ISLAND FREIGHT LINE

"OpenTug is a need for us and the entire market. Customers are demanding more visibility and easier access to services, which OpenTug enables."

“OpenTug has allowed Island Freight Line to quickly put a short-sea concept into service, and give businesses and shippers an alternative method for transportation to the island of Nantucket.”

"We were really impressed with the level of detail and the quick responses. We've worked with other freight logistics brokers in the past and it's been a nightmare but with OpenTug, it was just a great experience the whole way through."

Project Cargo

Grain

Breakbulk

Heavy Equipment

Oil & Gas

Coal

Metals

Chemicals

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping ‍Project Cargo

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping Grain

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping Break Bulk Cargo

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping Heavy Equipment

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping Oil & Gas

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping Coal

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping Metals

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping Chemicals

We Are Passionate About Supercharging Marine Logistics

Top Stories

OpenTug: Your New Partner in Freight Forwarding

Will the Shipping Industry Emerge from the Shadows?

How Much Shipping in the US Still Takes Place Over Rivers?

Stay Tuned

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
‍Project Cargo

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Grain

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Break Bulk Cargo

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Heavy Equipment

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Oil & Gas

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Coal

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Metals

We Take the Complexity Out of Shipping
Chemicals