Corn Belt Ports See Notable Freight Tonnage Growth in 2026
In the most recent annual report released by the U.S. Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center, two Corn Belt Ports regions took top honors for showing some of the highest growth rates in the inland waterway port system.
The Mid-America Port Commission (IL, MO, IA), established in 1999, was ranked as the 40th largest port in the U.S., and saw a 15.2% growth in freight tonnage during the 2024 reporting year (published 2026). This is the highest growth rate for any large (Top 50) U.S. Inland Port.
The Illinois Waterway Ports Commission established in 2023, and now reported as a port statistical area in the report, saw a 5.9% increase in freight tonnage, the largest increase of any port statistical area in the U.S.
In the report the Upper Mississippi River (Marine Highway 35) saw a 4.2% increase, and the Illinois River (Marine Highway 55 NORTH) saw a 1.2% increase in freight tonnage overall.
The Corn Belt Ports are special districts of government or official government collaborations. They are the modern, sustainable, rural, regional, inland, partnership ports on the Upper Mississippi River (Marine Highway 35) and the Illinois River (Marine Highway 35 NORTH) inside of the lock and dam system recognized by the U.S. Congress as the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway System. The Corn Belt Ports consist of the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission, the Mid-America Port Commission, the Upper Mississippi River Ports of Eastern lowa and Western Illinois, and the Northern Grain Belt Ports. See accompanying information paper for more details.
