That’s correct as the US also has a well developed inland waterway transportation system… Just not for containers. Why is that?
All the barges (and push boats) currently plying our rivers are also US built so it’s not an impediment for current cargos, but no expansion into containers. Why is that?
Ah so the main reason is not an economic one. That means the billions of dollars in upfront investment required to get something like this put into action will not be put up by businesses especially with marginal or even non existent time/cost improvement over the currently in place system. (Which is why it hasn’t already happened).
All that being said, if MARAD wants to write some checks, it could happen. Time will tell.