Grain Transportation Report

More wheat to go west this spring: USDA

A photograph of a wheat field.

Changing volume projections for U.S. wheat exports could be reflected in freight flows this spring, with more volumes going toward the western ports and fewer volumes going to the Gulf Coast, according to recent reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), a monthly report that estimates the production, storage and export volumes of various agricultural commodities, adjusted its projections for U.S. soft white wheat...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/more-wheat-to-go-west-this-spring-usda

Grain inspections fall but corn rebounds

Grain barge traffic was up for the week ending Sept. 8. David Krapf photo

For the week ending Aug. 22, total inspections of grain (corn, wheat, and soybeans) for export from all major U.S. export regions reached 2.16 million metric tons (mmt), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This amount is 7% less than the previous week, down 22% from last year, and 15% below the three-year average, the USDA said in its weekly Grain Transportation Report released today. The drop in total inspections was caused mainly by lower wheat and soybean inspections. Corn...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/grain-inspections-fall-but-corn-rebounds/

Barge traffic slows on the inland waterways

Total downbound barge traffic through the locking system of the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, and Arkansas rivers has decreased the last three weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said today.

Water levels have rapidly declined since flooding and high-water events earlier this year. Lower water levels, aggravated by increased sediments deposited during the flood stages, have resulted in grounding hazards, with several barge groundings this month, the USDA said in its weekly Grain...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/barge-traffic-slows-on-the-inland-waterways/

U.S. grain inspections for export increases

As of Jan. 17, spot rates for grain barge exports have been increasing since late December. Photo by David Krapf

For the week ending Aug. 8, total inspections of grain (corn, wheat, and soybeans) for export from all major U.S. export regions was 2.41 million metric tons (mmt), the U.S. Department of Agriculture said today. This represents a 12% increase from the previous week, unchanged from last year, and 4% below the three-year average.

The increase in inspections was primarily driven by a 66% rise in wheat inspections, the USDA said in its weekly Grain Transportation Report (GTR). Wheat shipments...

https://www.workboat.com/news/government/u-s-grain-inspections-for-export-increases/

Grain inspections post small drop, Mississippi Gulf up

Grain barges tied up to a pier near the Port of New Orleans. USDA photo/ Anson Eaglin.

For the week ending Aug. 1, total inspections of grain (corn, wheat, and soybeans) for export from all major U.S. export regions was 2.12 million metric tons (mmt), the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported today in its weekly Grain Transportation Report (GTR).

This is down 4% from the previous week, 18% from last year, and 15% below the three-year average. Inspections were down from the previous week for each of the three major grains, GTR said.

Despite the decrease in overall inspections of...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/grain-inspections-post-small-drop-mississippi-gulf-continues-up/

Mid-Mississippi barge rates top Twin Cities rates

Export grain inspections were up 18% from the previous week. David Krapf photo

Spot barge rates for export grain originating from ports near Minneapolis-St. Paul and the mid-Mississippi River (a stretch of the Mississippi that centers around Davenport, Iowa) have reached yearly highs, the US. Department of Agriculture reported today.

As of July 30, the mid-Mississippi rate had increased by 14% compared to last week and the Twin Cities’ rate had increased by less than 3%, the previous yearly highs for both, the USDA reported today in it’s weekly Grain Transportation Report...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/mid-mississippi-barge-rates-top-twin-cities/

Navigation improves on the inland waterways

Today, the Mississippi River gauge at St. Louis was at 33.7′, a decline from higher river stages in previous weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. The National Weather Service forecasts river levels will continue to fall into mid-July.

Mississippi River barge traffic at St. Louis was halted from May 23 through June 23, when river levels exceeded 38′. River closures occur at certain gauges, which are set by the Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and barge industry representatives....

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/navigation-improves-on-the-inland-waterways/

High water driving down grain barge tonnage

High water on the inland rivers is taking a toll on grain barge tonnage, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Thursday.

Precise grain barge movements down river were not available because of technical issues, USDA said, but data from last week show 13,194 barges were unloaded year-to-date at lower Mississippi River ports — 15% fewer than last year and 13% below the three-year average. Tonnage of down-bound grain at locking portions of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Arkansas rivers was 10...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/high-water-driving-down-grain-barge-tonnage/

Upper Miss and Illinois rivers barge traffic returning to normal

A soybean barge at a grain elevator in the Midwest. United Soybean Board photo

As of Nov. 12, high water levels on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers were decreasing and barge traffic was returning to normal operations, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Recently, there have been increases in soybean barge shipments despite reduced export demand from China and poor navigating conditions, the USDA said in its weekly Grain Transportation Report. For the week ending Nov. 10, soybean shipments on the locking portions of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Arkansas...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/upper-miss-and-illinois-rivers-barge-traffic-returning-to-normal/

Grain barge tonnage slows, spot rates down

Grain barges tied up to a pier near the Port of New Orleans. USDA photo/ Anson Eaglin.

As of Nov. 3, year-to-date (YTD) grain barge tonnages on the locking portions of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Arkansas rivers, were 31.7 million tons, 7% lower than last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Significantly reduced demand from China and poor navigation conditions have contributed to the reduction in the volumes of barged grain, the USDA said in its weekly Grain Transportation Report released today. YTD corn barge shipments were up 5% compared to last year. However,...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/grain-barge-tonnage-slows-spot-rates-down/

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