U.S. grain transportation showed varied performance across different modes in late September, with barge movements gaining ground while rail shipments saw a modest decline, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest Grain Transportation Report.
Rail shipments edge lower
Class I railroads originated 27,730 grain carloads during the week ending September 19, down 1% from the previous week but unchanged from last year. The figure came in 15% higher than the three-year average.
Secondary railcar markets showed softer pricing. Average October shuttle bids came in at $700 above tariff per car for the week ending September 24, dropping $188 from the previous week. Non-shuttle secondary railcar bids averaged $40 above tariff, down $135 from the prior week.
Barge traffic accelerates
Barge movements strengthened during the week ending September 26, with 394,130 tons of grain transported, up 5% from the previous week and 8% higher than the same week last year. The New Orleans region unloaded 951 grain barges, a 19% increase from the previous week.
Ocean shipping lags last year
Gulf port activity slowed compared to 2025. For the week ending September 24, 29 oceangoing grain vessels loaded in the Gulf, down 17% from the same period last year. However, 47 vessels were expected to load within the next 10 days, up 2% from last year.
Shipping rates to Japan held relatively steady. Gulf-to-Japan rates sat at $76.00 per metric ton, down 1% from the previous week, while Pacific Northwest-to-Japan rates remained unchanged at $37.00 per metric ton.
Fuel costs drop, export sales climb
The U.S. average diesel fuel price fell 14.7 cents to $6.382 per gallon for the week ending September 28, though prices remained $2.628 higher than the same week last year.
Export sales showed strength across major commodities. Net soybean export sales jumped 77% from the previous week to 1.03 million metric tons for marketing year 2026/27, while corn sales rose 3% and wheat sales increased 8%.
