The　waterway　transportation　industry,　recognized　for　its　high　capacity,　cost-effectiveness,　and　energy　efficiency,　plays　a　vital　role　in　global　freight　transport　and　trade.　In　China,　it　serves　as　a　key　pillar　supporting　the　national　economy　and　foreign　trade.　However,　its　heavy　dependence　on　fossil　fuels　has　intensified　carbon　emission　challenges,　creating　significant　barriers　to　achieving　sustainable　development　goals.　This　study　employs　Input-Output　Analysis　and　the　Logarithmic　Mean　Divisia　Index　model　to　examine　the　changes　in　carbon　emissions　and　their　driving　factors　in　China＇s　waterway　transportation　industry　from　2002　to　2020,　while　also　exploring　potential　pathways　for　emission　reduction.　The　findings　reveal　the　following:　(1)　From　2002　to　2020,　despite　a　substantial　rise　in　total　carbon　emissions,　the　industry　has　been　progressively　transitioning　towards　a　low-carbon　trajectory　through　the　adoption　of　clean　energy　technologies　and　optimization　of　its　energy　structure.　(2)　Economic　scale　effects　have　been　the　primary　drivers　of　carbon　emission　growth,　with　population-scale　effects　playing　a　lesser　role.　Since　2011,　the　implementation　of　green　technologies　and　low-carbon　management　strategies　has　effectively　stabilized　emission　growth　rates.　(3)　Improvements　in　energy　carbon　intensity　and　transportation　energy　intensity　have　significantly　reduced　carbon　emissions.　Moreover,　the　promotion　of　clean　energy　technologies　and　energy-saving　measures　has　substantially　lowered　the　industry＇s　carbon　emission　intensity.