Economic gain

• 500 million tonnes of goods are transports along the Mississippi River annually - stimulates vast economic growth
• Tow boats transport barges worth of fertilise, coal, petroleum, construction material along the river, and up to the river ports, throughout the American Midwest - large geographic scale
• Louisiana‘s port alone creates 73,000 jobs
• The Louisiana port receives 4,500 ships annually and supports 57 manufacturing industries - all of which contributes to the $202 billion worth of cargo which flows through Louisianas port annually
• Cruise ships travelling along the river also created 3,200 jobs with an economic output of $226 million annually
• Louisiana port also produces and transports 32% of the the US’ oil and gas supply whilst having 50% of the US’ oil refining capacity - national importance