<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-04-01</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001299716</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>U.S. Shipping Partners L.P.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>USS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001036310</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KEARNS WILLIAM M JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O U.S. SHIPPING PARTNERS, L.P.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>399 THORNALL STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EDISON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08837</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common units representing limited partner interests</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-04-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3065</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25065</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Subordinated Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>General partner interest</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Incentive distribution rights</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Consists of 3,065 units issued on April 1, 2008 as partial compensation for service as director of the general partner of USS.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">United States Shipping Master LLC (&quot;Shipping Master&quot;) owned a 98% limited partner interest in the Issuer. At the closing of the Issuer's initial public offering of common units (&quot;Common Units&quot;) representing limited partner interests (the &quot;Offering&quot;) on November 3, 2004, Shipping Master's 98% limited partner interest was redeemed for $1,960.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shipping Master owns 100% of US Shipping General Partner LLC (&quot;Shipping GP&quot;), the sole general partner of the Issuer. Shipping GP owns a 2% general partner interest in the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">At the closing of the Offering, each of Shipping Master and Shipping GP agreed to convey certain assets and liabilities to the Issuer and in exchange therefore (a) Shipping Master received 899,968 Common Units(which were subsequently redeemed), 5,272,341 Class A subordinated units and 1,627,627 class B subordinated units of the Issuer and (b)Shipping GP continued its 2% general partner interest and received incentive distribution rights (&quot;IDRs&quot;), which represent the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly distributions in excess of specified amounts. Shipping Master is the indirect beneficial owner of the general partner interest in the Issuer and the IDRs owned by the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly distribution in excess of specified amounts. Shipping Master is the indirect beneficial owner of the general partner interest in the Issuer and the IDRs owned by Shipping GP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Pursuant to the Shipping Master limited liability company agreement, Mr. Kearns owns (a) a 0.53% pecuniary interest in the general partner interest and the IDRs indirectly owned by Shipping Master, and (b) a 0.70% pecuniary interest in the class A subordinated units directly owned by Shipping Master</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ William M. Kearns, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-04-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
