This article has been reprinted from the Feb. 28 USDA Grain Transportation Report.
Rail
U.S. Class I railroads originated 21,302 grain carloads for the week ending February 16, up 3 percent from the previous week, down 1 percent from last year, and down 4 percent from the 3-year average.
Average March shuttle secondary railcar bids/offers per car were $1,313 above tariff for the week ending February 21, up $913 from last week, and up $244 from last year.
Average non-shuttle secondary railcar bids/offers per car were $250 above tariff, up $100 from last week.
There were no non-shuttle bids/offers this week last year.
Barge
For the week ending February 23, barge grain movements totaled 389,722 tons, 3 percent more than the previous week and down 7 percent from the same period last year.
For the week ending February 23, 244 grain barges moved down river, 25 barges more than the previous week.
There were 633 grain barges unloaded in New Orleans, 15 percent lower than the previous week.
Ocean
For the week ending February 21, 35 ocean-going grain vessels were loaded in the Gulf, 5 percent more than the same period last year.
Sixty-five vessels are expected to be loaded within the next 10 days, 16 percent more than the same period last year.
For the week ending February 21, the ocean freight rate for shipping bulk grain, from the Gulf to Japan, was $39.25 per metric ton, 1 percent more than the previous week.
The cost of shipping, from the PNW to Japan, was $22.25 per metric ton, 1 percent more than the previous week.
Fuel
For the week ending February 25, the U.S. average diesel fuel price increased 4.2 cents, from the previous week, to $3.048 per gallon, 4.1 cents above the same week last year