U.S. grain transportation showed mixed activity for early January 2026, with rail and ocean shipments rising but barge movements declining, according to the latest Agricultural Marketing Service weekly Grain Transportation Report.
Class I railroads originated 26,544 grain carloads for the week ending Jan. 3, marking a 7% increase from the previous week, 8% higher than last year, and 12% above the three-year average. Shuttle secondary railcar bids averaged $304 above tariff, down $222 from the prior week but $417 higher than the same week last year. Non-shuttle bids were $38 above tariff, up $19 from last week but $88 below last year’s level.
Barge grain movements for the week ending Jan. 10 totaled 528,000 tons, a 30% decline from the previous week but 17% higher than the same week last year. The number of barges moving downriver dropped by 150 to 329, while grain barge unloads in the New Orleans region fell 1% to 831.
Ocean shipments showed strength, with 33 oceangoing grain vessels loaded in the Gulf for the week ending Jan. 8, an 18% increase from last year. An additional 55 vessels were expected to load over the following 10 days, 25% more than the same period last year. Shipping rates from the U.S. Gulf to Japan fell 2% to $49 per metric ton, while rates from the Pacific Northwest to Japan rose 4% to $27.50 per metric ton.
Diesel fuel prices averaged $3.459 per gallon for the week ending Jan. 12, down 1.8 cents from the previous week and 14.3 cents below last year.
Export sales remained steady, with unshipped balances of corn, soybeans, and wheat totaling 40.63 million metric tons, unchanged from the prior week but up 11% year-over-year. Net corn sales surged 202% to 1.14 million metric tons, soybeans rose 135% to 2.06 million metric tons, and wheat increased 32% to 0.16 million metric tons.
