SmartWay Barge Carriers measure, benchmark, and improve their performance on an annual basis. You must submit a completed and accurate SmartWay Barge Tool to EPA by the due date listed on this page to make sure your data is in the EPA partner database when your shippers and logistics companies are looking for you.

Barge Tool

• Barge Tool (XLS)(1 pg, 5 MB) Save this file to your computer before opening.
• An example of the SmartWay Barge Tool (XLS)(1 pg, 5 MB) Save this file to your computer before opening.

Barge Tool User Guides

Use these guides to understand the tool data entry and submission process. Note that the data worksheets are available in the appendices of the Quick Start Guide and are no longer listed as stand-alone documents.

• Barge Carrier Partner 2.0.15 Tool: Getting Started Guide, 2015 Data Year - United States Version (PDF) (8 pp, 315K, February 2016, EPA-420-B-16-032 Free Adobe Acrobat Reader)
• Barge Carrier Partner 2.0.15 Tool: Data Collection Overview and Workbook, 2015 Data Year - United States Version (PDF) (16 pp, 354K, February 2016, EPA-420-B-16-033)
• Barge Carrier 2.0.15 Tool: Data Entry and Troubleshooting Guide, 2015 Data Year - United States Version (PDF) (58 pp, 2.6MB, February 2016, EPA-420-B-16-034)
• Barge Carrier Partner 2.0.15 Tool: Guide to Importing Vessel Data Using the Data Import/Export Function, 2015 Data Year - United States Version (PDF) (24 pp, 487K, February 2016, EPA-420-B-16-035)
• Barge Carrier Partner 2.0.15 Tool: Technical Documentation, 2015 Data Year - United States Version (PDF) (19 pp, 580K, February 2016, EPA-420-B-16-036)

Submitting Your Barge Tool to EPA

Once you have completed your Barge Tool for this year, there are two steps to submitting it for evaluation by EPA:

Step 1) Save it to your computer in a place you will remember. When you save, you will generate two files—both an .xls file and an .xml file.

Step 2) Email both files to your Partner Account Manager. If you do not know who your Partner Account Manager is, you can submit your two files via email to smartway_transport@epa.gov for evaluation.

All SmartWay Carrier Partners are ranked by their performance levels. These Microsoft Excel files contain the latest SmartWay Partners fleet ranking categories and emission rates.

• Learn more about SmartWay Carrier Partner Ranking Data

The performance ranking files are refreshed every Monday afternoon. (For reference purposes only)

You can also view detailed reports and other information about partner performance via the SmartWay Portal.

Visit the Smartway Portal Exit

EPA provides webinars and other training opportunities to help carriers learn how to get more value from the SmartWay Program.

Training Webinars

EPA regularly schedules webinars on using the SmartWay tools, unlocking the value of the data, and learning how to improve your fleet’s performance.

• View SmartWay Webinar Schedule

Optimizing fuel economy and operational efficiency is key to improving your performance as a SmartWay Barge Carrier. Barge carriers have a variety of technology and operational strategies available to improve fuel efficiency and environmental performance. The best source for the most up-to-date information about these strategies is your barge professional associations.

Professional Association Links

• American Waterways Operators (AWO) Exit is the national trade organization for U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge operators on the rivers, coasts, Great Lakes, and harbors of the United States.
• Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) Exit educates policy-makers in the national’s capital and around the nation, in the news media, and the general public about the waterways systems’ critical importance

EPA encourages SmartWay Partners to share their achievements and participation in the SmartWay program with their customers, clients, stakeholders, and stockholders. There are several ways Partners highlight achievements:

Best Practice Guidance: Read this page for guidance on how to communicate your participation in the Partnership.

• Sharing your Participation in SmartWay-Best Practices

Feature Partner Profiles: EPA frequently develops profiles of SmartWay Partners that provide examples of effective freight supply chain sustainability measures.

• If you have a strategy, policy, or solution to a significant freight sustainability challenge that you would like to share with your industry, email your interest (smartway_transport@epa.gov) with the subject line "Interested in becoming a Featured Partner" to be considered.