SIC code 50400 — Inland freight water transport — is a specialist classification with 76 active companies in the UK. Despite its small size, this category represents an important part of the transportation and storage sector. It falls under Section H (Transportation and storage) of the UK SIC 2007 classification system, which is used by Companies House to categorise all registered businesses.
See the full industry analysis on the Inland freight water transport industry page.
The average company age is 17.0 years, indicating an established sector with a mix of long-running businesses and newer entrants. The sector is experiencing strong growth, with 33% of active companies formed since 2020 and 22% during the 2010s. This sustained formation rate points to continued demand for inland freight water transport services. The highest concentration of inland freight water transport companies is in LONDON, with 15 active firms (20% of the sector).
SIC code 50400 stands for "Inland freight water transport" under the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2007) system. It belongs to Section H — Transportation and storage. Companies use this code when registering with Companies House to indicate their primary business activity. The code is required for annual confirmation statements and is used by HMRC, ONS, and other government bodies for statistical and regulatory purposes.
There are currently 76 active companies registered under SIC code 50400 in the UK, out of 85 total registrations. This gives a survival rate of 89%, meaning 11% of companies registered under this code have since dissolved. These figures are based on Companies House data and updated regularly.
The top locations for inland freight water transport companies (SIC 50400) are: LONDON (15). Geographic concentration can reflect local economic conditions, industry clusters, or proximity to key markets and supply chains.
The sector is growing: 33% of currently active SIC 50400 companies were formed since 2020, and 22% during the 2010s. This sustained formation rate indicates ongoing demand for inland freight water transport services in the UK.
Companies classified under SIC 50400 have an average age of 17.0 years. This indicates a mature sector where businesses tend to operate long-term.
Related SIC codes within the same division include: 50200 (Sea and coastal freight water transport), 50100 (Sea and coastal passenger water transport), 50300 (Inland passenger water transport), 5010 (Sale of motor vehicles). Companies may use multiple SIC codes if they operate across several of these related activities. When registering with Companies House, businesses should select the code that best represents their primary activity.
You can search for companies with SIC code 50400 (Inland freight water transport) using UVAGATRON's company explorer, which allows filtering by SIC code, location, and company status. Alternatively, Companies House offers a basic search on their website. Our platform adds risk intelligence, director networks, and signals from 50+ government databases to each company record.
Search, filter, and analyse 76 companies classified under this SIC code with AI-powered risk intelligence.
Data sourced from Companies House, HM Land Registry, FCA Register, and 50+ government databases. SIC classification follows the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007). Last updated: 2026-04-17.