Barged grain movements totaled 719,627 tons for the week ending April 18, a 43 percent increase from the previous week and 53 percent more than the same week last year, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service’s Grain Transportation Report released April 23.
The surge in barge traffic saw 475 barges move down river, 173 more than the previous week. However, 614 grain barges were unloaded in the New Orleans region, 7 percent less than the previous week.
U.S. Class I railroads originated 28,523 grain carloads during the week ending April 11, a 7 percent decrease from the previous week but 1 percent more than last year and 15 percent more than the 3-year average.
Average shuttle secondary railcar bids were $875 above tariff for the week ending April 16, up $433 from last week and $988 from this week last year. Non-shuttle secondary railcar bids averaged $63 above tariff, down $25 from last week.
For the week ending April 16, 27 oceangoing grain vessels were loaded in the Gulf, 21 percent fewer than last year. Within the next 10 days, 40 vessels were expected to be loaded, 21 percent more than last year.
Shipping rates from the U.S. Gulf to Japan rose to $67.25 per metric ton, up 4 percent from the previous week. The rate from the Pacific Northwest to Japan increased 2 percent to $35.50 per metric ton.
Unshipped balances of corn, soybeans and wheat for marketing year 2025/26 totaled 31.49 million metric tons, down 4 percent from last week but up 26 percent from last year.
