Grain Transportation Overview by Sector: 2/21/19

This article has been reprinted from the Feb. 21 USDA Grain Transportation Report.

Rail

U.S. Class I railroads originated 20,720 grain carloads for the week ending February 9, down 4 percent from the previous week, up 9 percent from last year, and up 1 percent from the 3-year average.

Average February shuttle secondary railcar bids/offers per car were $1,217 above tariff for the week ending February 14, up $750 from last week.

Average non-shuttle secondary railcar bids/offers per car were $250 above tariff, up $181 from last week.

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

Barge

For the week ending February 16, barge grain movements totaled 379,048 tons, 8 percent lower than the previous week and down 34 percent from the same period last year.

For the week ending February 16, 219 grain barges moved down river, 34 barges less than the previous week.

There were 744 grain barges unloaded in New Orleans, 21 percent more than the previous week.

Ocean

For the week ending February 14, 38 ocean-going grain vessels were loaded in the Gulf, 6 percent more than the same period last year.

Sixty-nine vessels are expected to be loaded within the next 10 days, 47 percent more than the same period last year.

For the week ending February 14, the ocean freight rate for shipping bulk grain, from the Gulf to Japan, was $39.00 per metric ton, 3 percent more than the previous week.

The cost of shipping, from the PNW to Japan, was $22.00 per metric ton, 2 percent more than the previous week.

Fuel

For the week ending February 18, the U.S. average diesel fuel price increased 4 cents, from the previous week, to $3.006 per gallon, 2.1 cents below the same week last year.