Grain Transportation Overview by Sector: 1/31/19

This article has been reprinted from the Jan. 31 USDA Grain Transportation Report.


Rail

U.S. Class I railroads originated 22,913 grain carloads for the week ending January 19, down 7 percent from the previous week, 2 percent from last year, and 4 percent from the 3-year average.

Average February shuttle secondary railcar bids/offers per car were $99 below tariff for the week ending January 24, up $5 from last week, and down $294 from last year.

Average non-shuttle secondary railcar bids/offers per car were $92 above tariff, down $8 from last week.

There were no non-shuttle bids/offers this week last year.

Barge

For the week ending January 26, barge grain movements totaled 456,762 tons, 22 percent lower than the previous week and down 14 percent from the same period last year.

For the week ending January 26, 271 grain barges moved down river, 81 barges less than the previous week.

There were 821 grain barges unloaded in New Orleans, 17 percent higher than the previous week.

Ocean

For the week ending January 24, 35 ocean-going grain vessels were loaded in the Gulf, 6 percent more than the same period last year.

Fifty-four vessels are expected to be loaded within the next 10 days, 2 percent less than the same period last year.

For the week ending January 24, the ocean freight rate for shipping bulk grain, from the Gulf to Japan, was $41.00 per metric ton, 5 percent less than the previous week.

The cost of shipping, from the PNW to Japan, was $23.00 per metric ton, 2 percent less than the previous week.

Fuel

For the week ending January 28, the U.S. average diesel fuel price was unchanged from the previous week at $2.965 per gallon, 10.5 cents below the same week last year.