Industry Description
Establishments primarily engaged in activities directly related to marine cargo handling from the time cargo, for or from a vessel, arrives at shipside, dock, pier, terminal, staging area, or in-transit area until cargo loading or unloading operations are completed. Included in this industry are establishments primarily engaged in the transfer of cargo between ships and barges, trucks, trains, pipelines, and wharfs. Cargo handling operations carried on by transportation companies and separately reported are classified here. This industry includes the operation and maintenance of piers, docks, and associated buildings and facilities; but lessors of such facilities are classified in Real Estate, Industry 6512.
Business Examples
Common types of business activities within US SIC 4491 - Marine Cargo Handling are:
- Docks, including buildings and facilities: operation and maintenance
- Loading vessels
- Marine cargo handling
- Piers, including buildings and facilities: operation and maintenance
- Ship hold cleaning
- Stevedoring
- Unloading vessels
- Waterfront terminal operation
IBISWorld Industry Research Report
Port & Harbor Operations in the US (48831)
Revenue 2025
$5.9bn
Growth 2025
2.67%
Key Trends
Industry profit will likely decline due to increased volatility of crude oil
Lower crude oil prices have benefited profit somewhat
Emerging markets in Central and Latin America, Southeast Asia and parts of Africa will stimulate export growth
Products and Services
US-SIC Hierarchy 4491 - Marine Cargo Handling
US-SIC Code 4491 - Marine Cargo Handling sits in the 2-digit Marine Cargo Handling sector. US SIC codes can be 2 to 8 digits and the further along the hierarchy, the more detailed and specific the category will be.
Division: E
Division Title: Transportation, Communications, Electric, Gas, and Sanitary Services
2 Digits 3 Digits 4 Digits
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411 Local and Suburban Passenger Transportation
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412 Taxicabs
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413 Intercity and Rural Bus Transportation
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414 Bus Charter Service
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415 School Buses
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417 Terminal and Service Facilities for Motor Vehicle
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421 Trucking and Courier Services, Except Air
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422 Public Warehousing and Storage
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423 Terminal and Joint Terminal Maintenance
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431 United States Postal Service
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-
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441 Deep Sea Foreign Transportation of Freight
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442 Deep Sea Domestic Transportation of Freight
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443 Freight Transportation On the Great Lakes-st.
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444 Water Transportation of Freight, Not Elsewhere
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448 Water Transportation of Passengers
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449 Services Incidental To Water Transportation
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451 Air Transportation, Scheduled, and Air Courier
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452 Air Transportation, Nonscheduled
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458 Airports, Flying Fields, and Airport Terminal
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461 Pipelines, Except Natural Gas
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472 Arrangement of Passenger Transportation
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473 Arrangement of Transportation of Freight and Cargo
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474 Rental of Railroad Cars
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478 Miscellaneous Services Incidental To Transportation
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481 Telephone Communications
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482 Telegraph and Other Message Communications
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483 Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations
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484 Cable and Other Pay Television Services
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489 Communications Services, Not Elsewhere
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491 Electric Services
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492 Gas Production and Distribution
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493 Combination Electric and Gas, and Other Utility
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494 Water Supply
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495 Sanitary Services
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496 Steam and Air-conditioning Supply
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497 Irrigation Systems
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Extended US-SIC Hierarchy for 4491 - Marine Cargo Handling
For business marketing and targeting, US SIC Codes have been extended to provide more specific classifications within US-SIC 4491 - Marine Cargo Handling. Extended US SIC Codes are being continuously updated to reflect the current business environment.
6 Digit SIC Codes
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449101 Moorages
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449102 Docks (facility)
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449103 Terminals-river & marine
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449104 Ports
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449105 Ship cleaning
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449106 Lighterage
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449107 Ship mooring line service
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449108 Marine cargo handling
8 Digit SIC Codes
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44910000 Marine cargo handling
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44910100 Marine loading and unloading services
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44910101 Loading vessels
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44910102 Stevedoring
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44910103 Unloading vessels
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44910200 Docks, piers and terminals
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44910201 Docks, incl. buildings and facilities: operation and maint.
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44910202 Marine terminals
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44910203 Piers, incl. buildings and facilities: operation and maint.
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44910204 Waterfront terminal operation
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44919900 Marine cargo handling, nec
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44919901 Ship hold cleaning
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