Central Ohio River Business Association

The Central Ohio River Business Association (CORBA) is a trade association representing local businesses conducting commerce primarily along the Ohio River in the tri-state region including Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Our membership consists of barge tow companies, terminal operators, barge fleeting companies, restaurant and entertainment, local port authorities and municipalities, utilities, and other related maritime support companies. Cincinnati and the surrounding communities were founded where they are precisely because the Ohio River was then a significant transportation corridor for our nation. We are a river dependent community, and commerce generated on the river is as important to the local economy today as it has been throughout the region’s history. Our member companies provide vital transportation services for many bulk commodity shippers that contribute greatly to our local economy. Those commodities include coal for energy production, steel and related products for manufacturing, aggregates and related materials in support of construction, fertilizers and grain transport for agriculture, fuels, and many other chemicals and commodities consumed or produced in the region. The river is and will continue to be a major linkage between our region and a global supply chain, and these linkages contribute significantly to the local economy in the form of direct and indirect jobs, as well as a competitive edge for our manufacturers resulting from low-cost energy and efficient transportation of raw materials and finished goods on the Ohio River. The maritime industry is mature, but it’s impact to the region remains significant. Transporting bulk commodities by water is and will continue to be the safest, most environmentally friendly, most energy efficient, greenest, cleanest, and most cost-effective means of transport for those goods. Thank you for visiting our page, and for your interest in the maritime transportation industry.