Economists told the barge industry earlier this month that the world economy is in a fragile state, indicating that a convergence of unrest, political instability and trade disputes in many parts of the globe could affect the movement of commodities along the U.S. inland waterways system.
Tell-tale signs of a slowdown include a deceleration of world trade linked to rising protectionism and a drop in investment, said Tom Scott, global director of agribusiness consulting at IEG Vantage. Scott...