Actualité du Transport Maritime

Oct 31 - Argentina transportation unions strike against Milei's austerity moves
A 24-hour strike launched on Wednesday by transportation unions in Argentina against President Javier Milei's austerity measures blocked grain shipments at a major hub and affected thousands due to the lack of operating trains and airplanes. Workers were protesting a series of layoffs in public agencies by right-wing libertarian Milei while demanding higher wages, as the government pushes through with austerity measures to balance its accounts amid a major economic crisis.

Oct 31 - South Korea’s MFG buys 68,000 T corn in another private deal, traders say
South Korea's Major Feedmill Group purchased an estimated 68,000 metric tons of animal feed corn in a second private deal on Wednesday without issuing an international tender, European traders said. This followed a previous purchase of about 66,000 tons of corn in another private deal on Wednesday.

Oct 30 - NITRO Shipping Weekly Freight Report for Russian Grains

AZOV SEA & BLACK SEA: The Azov sea market is pretty stable this week with a slight trend of weakening. Owners prefer to fix opening positions fast without waiting for spot opening.

BALTIC SEA: The Baltic sea market remains weak.

FAR EAST: It appears that the market's continued strength, potentially driven by grain shipments to Korea.

CASPIAN SEA: The market is strengthening, showing an overall upward trend, impacted by the absence of spot positions. As the rivers' navigation season nears its end, shipowners are exerting pressure on exporters by quoting high rates from rivers ports. This situation has made many shipowners hesitant to sail further upstream of Kamyshin port. Delays in vessels' arrivals due to adverse weather conditions are complicating the situation for exporters.

Oct 30 - Weekly Ukrainian Freight Report (SPIKE BROKERS)

- AUTOMOTIVE LOGISTICS
As of 28.10, 344 thousand tons of agricultural products were exported by road across Western borders, which is 11% more compared to the same period in September. The largest increase in exports was recorded through the Romanian border — by 35%, to 103.7 thousand tons. Over the Hungarian border, volumes also increased by 15.5% compared to last month, to 35.1 thousand tons. On the Polish border, the export rate is 135.8 thousand tons, which is only 4% higher than the September level. The Moldovan border shows stability with an export volume of 47.9 thousand tons. At the same time, due to the Slovak border, there is a decline in volumes by 7%, to 21.5 thousand tons.
The main export goods are sunflower oil (50.1 thousand tons) and soybeans (35.9 thousand tons).
There is a slight increase in tariffs for international transportation within 1€, while domestic transportation prices have suffered a slight decrease compared to last week.

Market rates for transporting tents to Europe:
· Ternopil region - center. / Mon. Italy @90-120€
· Ternopil region - center. Bulgaria @82-90€
· Ternopil region. - East. Germany @90-110€
· Cherkasy region. - Pd. Romania @75-85€

- RAILWAY LOGISTICS
As of 28.10, the total volumes of agricultural products transported by rail show a tendency to increase, which also indicates an increase in the total indicator of the average daily carriage transfer across all borders by 14%, to 236 weights per day.
On the Hungarian border, a record increase of 51.1% was recorded, to 50.11 weights per day. On the Slovak border, there is also an increase of 9.7%, to 32.07 weights per day. At the same time, export volumes across the Polish and Romanian borders decreased by 10.3% and 18.2%, respectively, to 44.71 and 41.04 scales/day.
The number of cars going to deep-sea ports of Ukraine increased by 18.04% compared to last week, reaching 6,753 units. At the same time, the average daily discharge rate decreased slightly to 1,304 weights per day. The accumulation of wagons in the port of Izmail increased by 9.17%, reaching 369 units, and due to constant alarms and shelling of the port infrastructure, the average daily discharge rate in Izmail fell by 16% and is 74 scales per day.
The offer of cars on the market remains high, which keeps the cost of rail transportation at the level of the previous week.

- WATER LOGISTICS
Fluctuations in prices in the commodity market caused a decrease in the chartering activity of ships during the past week. Due to the limited offer of free tonnage owners of coasters were able to raise freight rates by 1-2$. At the same time, the owners of hendisayzov, on the contrary, reduced their tariffs by 1$. Shipping rates from the Danube ports in the directions of Turkey, Italy and Spain increased by 1$, while the rates for sending to Constanta remain consistently low.

Oct 30 - Jordan buys about 60,000 T wheat in tender, traders say
Jordan's state grains buyer purchased about 60,000 metric tons of hard milling wheat to be sourced from optional origins in an international tender on Tuesday, traders said. It was believed to have been bought from trading house Ameropa at an estimated $269.00 a ton cost and freight included (c&f) for shipment in the first half of January 2025, they said.

Oct 30 - South Korea's NOFI buys estimated 136,000 T corn, traders say
Leading South Korean animal feed maker Nonghyup Feed bought an estimated 136,000 metric tons of animal feed corn to be sourced optionally from the United States, South America or South Africa in an international tender on Tuesday seeking up to 207,000 tons, European traders said. It was bought in two 68,000 ton consignments for 2025 arrival, both from trading house Olam.

Oct 29 - Grain handlers go on strike at Australian exporter GrainCorp
Some grain handlers at GrainCorp, one of Australia's largest exporters of wheat and other crops, began industrial action, threatening to disrupt the harvest just as it ramps up. Australia is one of the world's biggest shippers of agricultural products.

Oct 29 - Indonesia considers importing 1 million tons of rice from India next year, minister says
Indonesia is looking into options for importing 1 million tons of rice from India next year, coordinating minister for food affairs Zulkifli Hasan said. Indonesia's rice output is estimated to fall 2.43% this year to 30.34 million metric tons, due to a delay in planting and harvest season amid longer dry weather in 2023, the statistics bureau said earlier this month.

Oct 28 - US corn export sales post multiyear highs, even without China - Braun
U.S. exporters last week sold unusually large volumes of corn that previously were possible only when China was active in the market. But China was absent this time around, and its import intentions remain unclear for now.

Oct 28 - Brazil's sugar output up 8% in early October, UNICA says
Sugar production in Brazil's key center-south region totaled 2.44 million metric tons in the first half of October, industry group UNICA said on Friday, an 8% increase when compared with a year earlier. Sugarcane crushing in the period rose 2.75% to 33.83 million tons, UNICA said in a report.

Oct 25 - Ukrainian corn seed flows to Europe in further farm trade shift
Ukraine has rapidly expanded exports of corn seed to the EU in the past two years in rare good news for its war-hit agricultural sector but adding to European farmers' grievances about what they say is unfair competition from Kyiv. It is ramping up shipments under free trade terms granted by the European Union following Russia's invasion, partly reversing the bloc's longstanding seed exports to Ukraine.

Oct 25 - Russia's proposed grain exchange for BRICS countries may take years to launch
Russia's proposal for a new international grain exchange could take years to get off the ground even though the plan was welcomed by members of the BRICS group of countries at a summit this week in Kazan in Russia. Russia has been pushing to establish the exchange as part of a broader plan to create new financial instruments, detach its trade from the U.S. dollar and help Moscow combat Western sanctions.

Oct 24 - NITRO SHIPPING Weekly Freight Report for Grains

- AZOV SEA & BLACK SEA: The Azov Sea market remains unstable and fairly weak, with moderate trading activity taking place. Market players report fixtures concluded still in mid 30's usd pmt fiost ex Rostov to Marmara sea bss 5'k sfs meal; 3’k wheat parcels pay 30-low 30's usd pmt fiost ex Rostov to Marmara in prompt. Some owners prefer longer voyages (Mersin / Iskenderun / Egypt Med / Albania).

- BALTIC SEA: The Baltic market remains sluggish, although there are indications of a slight strengthening in rates. Owners are eager to negotiate freight arrangements for suitable cargo.

- FAR EAST: Shipowners are exercising caution despite some market improvements, avoiding long voyages due to adverse weather conditions that threaten navigation.

- CASPIAN SEA: The market situation is showing signs of stability and favorability, as river shipping rates have risen compared to the previous week, suggesting a potential uptick in demand from Iranian buyers. Kazakhstan offers more favorable conditions for selling barley to Iran, which is why it is competing with Russia in this market. Currently, Aktau is facing significant delays, with long queues of vessels leading to waiting times of up to 1.5 weeks for berthing. The shortage of available Russian-flagged vessels for loading in Astrakhan has pushed freight rates higher, while shipments coming in at the tail end of the navigation period are becoming more lucrative. Furthermore, Iranianflagged vessels are not likely to be available until mid-November, adding to the complications caused by earlier voyage delays.

Oct 24 - InVivo eyes Ukrainian wheat to counter Russian export expansion
Agricutural cooperative InVivo is studying how it might source Ukrainian wheat alongside its core French supplies to develop new export markets after losing out to Russian wheat in Algeria, the group's chief executive said on Wednesday. The group, with activities from grain trading to wine distribution, opened a Saudi office this year and saw selling Ukrainian wheat as a way to gain scale in the Middle East in the future, Thierry Blandinieres told Reuters.

Oct 24 - Romanian government to approve railroad funding for Black Sea port of Constanta
Romania's government will approve on Wednesday a plan to upgrade rail infrastructure in the Black Sea port of Constanta to create a second railroad access point, part of wider investments in the port triggered by Russia's war in Ukraine. European Union and NATO member Romania has become Ukraine's biggest alternative grain export route since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 and its port of Constanta has drawn an influx of investment, including European Union funds to increase its capacity.

Oct 23 - Weekly Ukrainian Freight Report (SPIKE BROKERS)

Traded freight
Automotive logistics (dump trucks):
· Kharkiv region - South port (October-November) @1598 UAH/t with VAT
· Chernihiv region - Myronivka village (October) @650 UAH/t including VAT

- AUTOMOTIVE LOGISTICS
Last week, exports of agricultural products across western land borders remained at 87.58 thousand tons, which corresponds to the previous week. At the border with Moldova, the volumes have not changed much - 12.3 thousand tons. The Romanian border saw a slight decrease of 4.5% to 25.89 thousand tons. A more significant drop was observed on the Hungarian border, where volumes decreased by 11% and amounted to 8.29 thousand tons, as well as on the Slovak border - by 21%, to 4.56 thousand tons. At the same time, on the Polish border, through which 40% of all agricultural exports pass, there was a growth of 6.7% to 36.5 thousand tons.
Sunflower oil (37 thousand tons) and soybeans (25.5 thousand tons) continue to lidify in export in October. Tariffs for road transport remain stable, with minor fluctuations within 1$ in certain areas, which indicates a steady demand for these services.

- RAILWAY LOGISTICS
Last week, commodity flows remained stable, without significant changes. The average daily transfer of cars was 248 cars per day, which corresponds to the level of the previous week. The Slovak and Romanian borders recorded a slight decrease in exports, to 37.15 and 42.2 wagons a day, respectively. On the Hungarian border, volumes decreased by 11%, to 51.45 cars per day. The only increase was recorded on the Polish border, where the number of wagons increased by 4% to 44.6 wagons per day.
In the ports of Bolshaya Odessa, the average daily discharge increased by 4% and amounts to 1,316 wagons per day. The number of wagons moving towards the deep sea ports remains stable at 5,721 units. The accumulation of wagons in the port of Izmail decreased by 30%, to 338 units, and the average daily discharge fell by 10%, to 87 units.
Tariffs remain stable, but demand is expected to increase, which may lead to higher prices for car rentals.

- WATER LOGISTICS
Customers continue actively chartering vessels for grain shipment, which led to an increase in the rates for the transportation of vessels of the type of coster by 2$. For vessels such as hendisays, a balanced market is observed, where demand and supply are equalized, so freight rates remain at the level of the previous week. Rates for panamaxes bound for southern China have not changed either. At the same time, rates for barge freight from the Danube ports to Constanta continue to be consistently low, which indicates no significant changes in this market segment.

Oct 23 - Tunisia buys about 125,000 T soft wheat in tender, traders say
Tunisia's state grains agency is believed to have purchased about 125,000 metric tons of soft wheat in an international tender on Tuesday, European traders said. The lowest price was estimated to be $262.88 a ton cost and freight (c&f) for two 25,000 ton consignments sold by Bulgarian trading house Buildcom, traders said.

Oct 23 - Indian origin permitted in Indonesia’s 340,000 T rice tender
Indonesian state purchasing agency Bulog has told traders that Indian supplies can be offered in its new international tender to buy 340,000 metric tons of rice and the offer deadline is postponed by one day, European traders said on Tuesday. Traders said an initial announcement from Bulog said the rice could be sourced only from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam or Pakistan.

Oct 22 - Weekly Ocean rates - Freightos Baltic Index

- Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) fell 5% to $5,294/FEU.
- Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) fell 13% to $5,935/FEU.
- Asia-North Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) fell 3% to $3,523/FEU.
- Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) fell 5% to $3,927/FEU.

- Some minimal congestion – caused by the three day strike at the beginning of the month – remains at US East Coast and Gulf ports though operations have mostly recovered. Some observers anticipate that the strike will still lead to some capacity and equipment shortages at Asian origins in early November.
- For now the pull forward of peak season demand to earlier than usual in the year is leading to easing volumes in October and into November and container rates are falling as a result. Transpacific spot prices to the West Coast are 35% lower than their July peak and 38% lower to the East Coast. But even with easing demand and volume projections for the coming months lower than those in Q2, transpacific rates above $5,000/FEU are still $1,500 - $2,000/FEU higher than during the previous Red Sea crisis-era lull in demand back in April.  
Meanwhile, prices for Asia - Europe containers eased to about $3,500/FEU last week, which is 60% lower than the peak in July and about even with the April floor on for this lane. Asia - Mediterranean rates fell 3% to $3,927/FEU last week, which is 50% lower than in July and $400/FEU lower than in April. At the same time, Red Sea diversions’ drain on capacity are still keeping these prices about triple their level a year ago.
- Nonetheless, with rates sliding on lower demand carriers have started to increase the number of blanked sailings on Asia - Europe lanes. Ports in Hamburg and Felixstowe are still dealing with some congestion, and some vessel bunching persists in Shanghai, though waits at Qingdao and Ningbo have decreased.  There is also anticipation that the pre-Lunar New Year demand increase could have an early start in November as European shippers still have to factor in longer transit times around the Cape of Good hope. These factors have some carriers hopeful that rates could rebound soon as MSC announced a November GRI to push Asia - Europe rates up to $5,000/FEU with other carriers also rolling out increases.

Oct 22 - Weekly Air rates - Freightos Air index

- China - N. America weekly prices were level at $5.43/kg.
- China - N. Europe weekly prices were level at $3.81/kg.
- N. Europe - N. America weekly prices increased 2% to $1.85/kg.

- Though ocean volumes are past their peak for the year, the typical Q4 air cargo peak season should heat up soon. Freightos Air index data shows Middle East - N. America rates have increased 35% since mid-September to $3.17/kg, a level last seen in March, suggesting that sea-air peak season may already be getting underway.  
China - N. America and Europe rates remain elevated but do not seem to be increasing yet on peak season demand. B2C e-commerce volumes have kept ex-China demand and rates strong throughout much of the year, doing away with typical seasonality in the market so far this year. And expectations are that when demand increases in Q4 rates could spike even higher and space will be very difficult to secure.
- But the e-commerce impact on rates and availability this year may have pushed many forwarders and shippers to plan ahead for peak season either by building up inventories earlier than usual or reserving air capacity in advance. As a result some observers think that space will be tight and rates high during Q4, but will not be as extreme or disruptive as many are anticipating.

Oct 22 - India considers imports of Mongolian coking coal via Russia, source says
India is exploring ways to import regular supplies of Mongolian coking coal by way of Russia, a senior government official with direct knowledge of the matter said, as New Delhi seeks to avoid over-reliance on transit through China. Mills in India, the world's second-biggest producer of crude steel, grappled with volatile Australian supplies of coking coal last year, and the government sent delegations to Mongolia in an effort to diversify sources of the fuel.

Oct 22 - Indian buyers expect no disruption in Canadian lentil, potash supplies
Indian buyers do not expect supplies of Canadian lentils and potash to be affected by the diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa, trade, industry and government officials said. Lentils and potash supplies from Canada have been steady, they said.

Oct 21 - Russian coal shipments to China plunge 86% in SeptemberChina's coal imports from Russia sank 86% in September from the same month a year earlier, customs data showed on Sunday, as sanctions on Moscow continued to weigh. Russia's coal shipments to China last month were 1.3 million metric tons, according to the General Administration of Customs. That was also down from 8.7 million tons in August.

Oct 21 - Bangladesh issues tender to buy 50,000 T rice, traders sayBangladesh's state grains buyer has issued an international tender to purchase 50,000 metric tons of rice, traders said. The deadline for submission of price offers is Nov. 4. Floods in Bangladesh have destroyed an estimated 1.1 million tons of rice, prompting the country to ramp up imports of the staple grain amid soaring food prices.

Oct 18 - Russia imposes temporary import ban on Kazakh grain, but allows transitRussia has imposed a temporary ban on Kazakh grain imports for its own market, but has granted Kazakhstan permission to transit grain via Russian territory for export to other countries starting from Thursday, Russia's agricultural watchdog said. The move indicates the tensions between the two grain exporters, which also tranship each other's oil, gas and metals, may have eased but are yet to be fully resolved.

Oct 18 - Taiwan buys estimated 78,200 T wheat of US-origin
The Taiwan Flour Millers' Association purchased an estimated 78,200 metric tons of milling wheat to be sourced from the United States in a tender on Thursday, European traders said. The purchase involved various wheat types for shipment from the U.S. Pacific Northwest coast in two consignments.

Oct 17 - Ukraine grain exports at 12.5 million tons so far 2024/25, says ministry
Ukraine's grain exports in the 2024/25 July-June season totalled 12.5 million metric tons as of Oct. 16, up from about 7.7 million tons over the same period of the previous season, agriculture ministry data showed on Wednesday. The volume included 7.1 million tons of wheat, 3.5 million tons of corn and 1.6 million tons of barley.

Oct 17 - South Korea’s MFG buys about 131,000 T corn, traders say
South Korea's Major Feedmill Group purchased an estimated 131,000 metric tons of animal feed corn in an international tender on Wednesday, European traders said. One consignment of 65,000 tons was bought at an estimated $237.74 a ton cost and freight included plus an additional $1.25 a ton surcharge for additional port unloading for arrival in South Korea around Jan. 6, 2025.

Oct 16 - NITRO Weekly Shipping Freight Report for Grains

AZOV SEA & BLACK SEA: The Azov sea market steadily holds a position of one of the most volatile markets. After a significant weakening last week, this week again we see the market has regained a few dollars. A good number of vessels opening in October are fixed so those opening are looking for better freights. Owners are looking for usd 32-35 pmt fiost bss usual 3'k wheat order ex Rostov to Marmara whilst charterers are keen to see around usd 30 pmt fiost. 5-6'k sbpp (sf abt 60") cargoes are ready to pay mid 30's usd pmt fiost ex Yeisk to Marmara.

BALTIC SEA: The market is still weak in coaster size. Owners are ready to discuss freight levels to secure a cargo.

CASPIAN SEA: The Caspian basin's market stability this week, marked by only slight fluctuations, is largely influenced by Iranian buyers responding to new export duties. Their increased activity suggests a proactive strategy to secure grains before potential price hikes, reflecting a shift in purchasing behavior and an adjustment to market conditions.

FAR EAST: The market has shown continued weakness in recent days

Oct 16 - Weekly Ukrainian Freight Report (SPIKE BROKERS)

- AUTOMOTIVE LOGISTICS
The first half of October is marked by an increase in export shipments of agricultural products by 15% compared to the same period in September. As of 14.10, 170,000 tons of agricultural products were exported by road. In particular, stable export volumes are observed at the Polish border (64.9 thousand tons) and Slovak border (11.9 thousand tons). The Romanian border increased its figures by 50% to 52.6 thousand tons, and the Hungarian border shows a significant increase of 39% to 18.3 thousand tons. At the same time, the Moldovan border is reducing by 6% to 21.6 thousand tons.
Leaders of export for the season are sunflower oil (22.4 thousand tons) and soybeans (18.4 thousand tons).
During the week, a slight increase in tariffs for transportation in the direction of deep-sea ports of ports, which fluctuate within 2$, was also recorded.

- RAILWAY LOGISTICS
During the first half of October, an increase in the average daily transfer of cars on the Western borders by 20%, to 248 cars per day. On the Polish border, this figure is 42.69 carriages per day, which is almost 15% less than last month, and the Romanian border is reduced by 11%, to 44.61 carriages per day. At the same time, the Slovak border shows an increase of 31% compared to the previous month, with a rate of 38.38 cars per day as of 13.10. Particularly significant increase in volumes is noted on the Hungarian border - by 74%, where 57.85 cars are transshipped every day.
As of 13.10, 5,843 wagons are moving in the direction of Odessa ports, which corresponds to the last week's indicator. The average daily discharge rate in ports is 1264 wagons per day, which indicates an increase of 6%. In the port of Izmail, the accumulation of wagons decreased by almost half, to 487 units, while the average daily discharge rate in the port of Izmail increased by 14%, to 96 units compared to the previous week.
Despite the expectations of tariff increases, a slight decrease was recorded in the range of 2-5$, depending on the direction.

- WATER LOGISTICS
The lack of free tonnage and regular shelling of the port infrastructure led to an increase in freight rates in different directions. Shipowners are reluctant to enter Ukrainian ports, which is why charterers face a shortage of transport. Tariff rates for coasters in the direction of Italy and Spain increased by an average of 2$. Similarly, the freight offers in the direction of Turkey from the Danube ports also increased by 2$. However, the situation with barges remains stable, and the cost of transportation is kept low.

Oct 16 - Dry Freight Markets
Russia’s Grain Exporters Union starts publishing indicative prices for wheat exports
Russia’s Grain Exporters Union began publishing indicative export prices for Russian wheat on Tuesday, following discussions on exports during a meeting between agriculture ministry officials and leading exporters last week. The union said the indicative export price for wheat with 12.5% protein content on a free-on-board basis from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk was $240 per metric ton for October, $245 for November and $250 for December.

Oct 16 - Turkey relaxes wheat import rules as ban due to expire, millers say
Turkey, the world's largest flour exporter, has relaxed its wheat import rules ahead of the scheduled expiry of a ban at midnight on Tuesday, according to the millers' association. In June, Turkey banned wheat imports until Oct. 15 to protect farmers from low prices, promote domestic procurement of grains by the Turkish state grain board and create a favourable market for farmers.

Oct 15 - Weekly Ocean rates - Freightos Baltic Index

- Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) fell 3% to $5,565/FEU.
- Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) climbed 1% to $6,787/FEU.
- Asia-N. Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) decreased 11% to $3,625/FEU.
- Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) fell 8% to $4,118/FEU.

- Hurricane Milton battered the west coast of Florida last week. Power disruptions kept the Port of Tampa Bay closed until Monday, while ports in Miami and Jacksonville resumed operations before the end of last week.
- The Port of Savannah, which was still facing a backlog from Hurricane Helene in September, will require another two weeks to restore full fluidity as the three-day ILA port strike added to the number of waiting vessels.  Ships are waiting more than two days for a slot in Savannah, with the other major East Coast ports also reporting waits of one to four days at some terminals due to the strike, representing significant but not extreme congestion as the backlogs get cleared.
- Some carriers have announced blanked sailings in response to the congestion, but may also be adjusting capacity to the lower, post-peak season volumes.
- Transpacific ocean rates are now 30% below their July peaks, and with the early end to peak season we should expect rates to continue easing. Rate levels of $5,500/FEU to the West Coast and $6,700/FEU to the East Coast are still several thousand dollars higher than typical levels even for peak season and are also still about $1,000/FEU higher than the Red Sea-adjusted floor hit in April. As long as Red Sea diversions continue to absorb capacity on an industry level, prices may not fall much further than seen back in April.
- Asia - Europe and Mediterranean trades – that, due to longer lead times for sailings around the Cape of Good Hope, had to have peak season goods moved out of Asia before Golden Week to receive them in time for Q4 consumer events – seem to be even further past peak demand than the transpacific. Rates on these lanes fell further last week and, at about $3,600/FEU to Europe and $4,000/FEU to the Mediterranean, are already just about at April levels.

Oct 15 - Weekly Air rates - Freightos Air index

- China - N. America weekly prices decreased 23% to $5.43/kg.
- China - N. Europe weekly prices fell 1% to $3.80/kg.
- N. Europe - N. America weekly increased 2% to $1.82/kg.

- In air cargo, Freightos Air Index data shows that transpacific air cargo rates that had jumped to $7.07/kg with some ocean to air shift at the start of the ILA strike, fell back to $5.43/kg last week. But even at $5 - $6/kg, rates are elevated well above typical levels even ahead of air’s Q4 peak season on the continued surge of e-commerce volumes out of China.
The importing of low-cost goods directly to consumers by high cost air cargo is mostly facilitated by the de minimis exception which exempts small imports from customs costs and rigorous and expensive filing requirements.
- In September the White House announced plans to significantly reduce access to the de minimis exemption, with e-commerce imports from China a main target.
Actual rule changes will be a ways off and final versions could be quite different from those proposed. Because of the lack of movement since September, e-commerce air cargo volumes are expected to increase along with other types of goods soon and through early December, making space even tighter and pushing rates higher.
If significant changes to de minimis do eventually go through though, they could result in a shift in strategy by e-commerce platforms like Temu and Shein, and a possible shift away or reduction in use of air cargo for these types of goods.

Oct 15 - France set to break wheat export lull with rare Thailand shipment
A large cargo of French wheat is set to load for Thailand this month, according to trading and shipping sources, a rare shipment to the southeast Asian country that will boost sluggish French exports. A ship is due to call at the northern river port of Rouen this week to load part of a planned volume of between 60,000 and 70,000 metric tons, with the vessel expected to complete loading at the west coast port of La Pallice, the sources said.

Oct 15 - Ukraine's grain exports via Romania's Constanta down by half in Jan-Sept
Ukraine's grain exports through the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta fell by half on the year in the first nine months to 5.17 million metric tons, the port authority said, as Kyiv has increasingly relied on its own ports this year despite Russian attacks on ships and port infrastructure. Constanta remains Ukraine's main alternative route for grain since Russia's full-scale invasion and the port has seen an influx of European Union investment funds to boost its capacity.

Oct 14 - Russia sets price floor for wheat at international tenders, sources say
Russia's agriculture ministry asked exporters at a closed-door meeting on Friday not to sell wheat by tender to international buyers below a minimum price, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The recommendation introduces a de-facto price floor of $250 per metric ton on a free-on-board basis for wheat from Russia, the world's biggest exporter of the grain.

Oct 14 - South Korea’s NOFI buys about 60,000 T soymeal, traders say
Leading South Korean animal feed maker Nonghyup Feed Inc. (NOFI) purchased up to 60,000 metric tons of soymeal in an international tender on Friday, European traders said. It was expected to be sourced from South America, but the seller can also optionally supply from the United States or China.

Oct 11 - Japan may take action to respond to China's growing steel exports, ministry official says
The Japanese government may take trade action if needed in response to growing steel exports from China, the world's biggest steel producer, an official at Japan's industry ministry said on Thursday. "We are concerned that in many cases Chinese steel is being exported at significantly low prices, affecting global supply and demand as well as pricing," Manabu Nabeshima, director of the metal industries division at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, told a news conference.

Oct 11 - South Korea’s FLC buys 60,000 metric tons soymeal, traders say
South Korean import group the Feed Leaders Committee on Thursday purchased up to 60,000 metric tons of soymeal to be sourced from South America or optionally from the United States or China, European traders said. The FLC is believed to have made the purchase from trading house Cofco at an estimated $398.50 a metric ton c&f including a surcharge for additional port unloading, they said.

Oct 10 - Algeria bars France from wheat import tender as relations sour, sources say
Algeria excluded French companies from a wheat import tender this week and required that participating firms did not offer French-origin wheat, in apparent fallout from renewed diplomatic tensions between Algiers and Paris, trading sources said. The move, echoing a dispute three years ago that led to France being sidelined from its former colony's wheat tenders for months, may reinforce the recent dominance of Black Sea supplies, led by Russian wheat, in Algeria's massive import market.

Oct 10 - More Kazakh agricultural exporters complain of issues with transit to Russia

Some Kazakh rice and corn exporters are unable to ship their products to Russia, Kazakhstan's Grain Union said on Wednesday, in what appeared to be an expansion of a Russian block on grain transit from Kazakhstan after Moscow accused Astana of breaching plant health regulations. Russia is a key transit country for major Kazakh exports such as oil and uranium, and trade tensions could make market players nervous about the steady supply of those commodities.

Oct 09 - Ukrainian Weekly Freight Report (SPIKE BROKERS)

- AUTOMOTIVE LOGISTICS
As of 07.10, exports of agricultural products by road increased by 17% compared to the same period in September, reaching 81 thousand tons. The growth is due to the activity of sellers and the increase in commodity prices, which stimulated the conclusion of new transactions. The largest increase in export shipments is observed at the Romanian and Slovak borders - by 40% and 47%, to 25.5 thousand tons and 9.05 thousand tons, respectively. Small growth (5-6%) was recorded at the Polish (30.7 thousand tons) and Hungarian (6.16 thousand tons) borders. The situation on the Moldovan border with the export of 9.6 thousand tons remains stable.
The leaders of exports in October are soybeans (9.8 thousand tons) and sunflower oil (9.5 tons). The increase in supplies to Romania and Bulgaria caused an increase in market rates for international transportation by 2-3€. Despite this, the domestic transportation tariffs remain stable due to the use of transport for harvesting and the reduction of the demand for transportation in the direction of ports.

- RAILWAY LOGISTICS
In the first week of October, there was a significant revival of the market for export railway shipments on most borders, except for Polish ones, where the number of wagons transmission decreased to 44.83 wagons per day. At the Romanian border, the situation remained stable at 53.67 carriages per day. Instead, at the Hungarian border, there was a significant increase in volumes by 70%, reaching 55.34 cars per day. The Slovak border also shows a significant increase of 43% with a rate of 42.83 cars per day. In general, the average daily rate of carriage transfer across all borders increased by 26%, up to 260 wagons per day.
The number of carriages moving towards the ports also increases, up to 5,818 units. The average daily rate of unloading wagons increased by 16% and is 1193 cars per day. The number of cars accumulated in the port of Izmail increased by 20%, reaching 715 units, with an average daily unloading at 84 wagons per day. This increase in volumes contributed to an increase in the rates for domestic rail transportation by an average of $ 1 compared to the previous period.

- WATER LOGISTICS
The growth of demand is also observed in the segment of water transportation, which has caused some changes in freight rates. The owners of coasters used a decrease in the free tonnage offer, increasing the tariff indicators by an average of $ 2 per ton. At the same time, rates for transportation by panamaxes and hendisayzami remain stable due to the presence of free ships. This situation is fixed in the barge market in the Danube ports, where tariffs remain unchanged due to a sufficient number of available tonnage.

Oct 09 - NITRO Shipping Freight Report for Grains

AZOV SEA & BLACK SEA: The Azov Sea market has slowed its rapid activity, with only a limited number of fixtures reported this week. Following last Friday's news on wheat, Turkish buyers have begun to lower their prices. As a result, the prices for nearly all grain commodities and pulses have declined this week. Most shipowners are still reluctant to reduce freight rates and are hopeful that the market will at least sustain its current levels.

BALTIC SEA: The Baltic Sea market is gradually rebounding, with an increase in cargo activity noted this week.

CASPIAN SEA: The Caspian Basin freight market is witnessing a revival, as exporters are keen to lock in shipments at more competitive rates. This surge in activity is largely spurred by increased exports from river ports, influenced by adverse weather conditions and the conclusion of the harvest season. While Iranian ports are facing considerable delays in discharging, Amirabad has shown improvement this week. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is bolstering its export capacity and attracting more vessels.

FAR EAST: The market has shown no changes this week.

Oct 09 - Algeria buys about 500,000 T wheat in tender, traders say
Algeria’s state grains agency OAIC has purchased about 500,000 metric tons of milling wheat in an international tender that closed on Tuesday, European traders said. This was up from initial trader estimates of 360,000 to 390,000 tons.

Oct 09 - EU 2024/25 soft wheat exports down 29% by Oct 6, data still incomplete
Soft wheat exports from the European Union since the start of the 2024/25 season in July had reached 6.35 million metric tons by Oct. 6, down 29% from 8.9 million tons a year earlier, data published by the European Commission showed on Tuesday. EU barley exports totalled 1.53 million tons, down 36% from 2.39 million tons in the corresponding period for 2023/24.

Oct 08 - Weekly Ocean rates - Freightos Baltic Index

- Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) fell 15% to $5,760/FEU.   
- Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) fell 22% to $6,744/FEU.
- Asia-North Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) fell 20% to $4,075/FEU.
- Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) fell 13% to $4,476/FEU.

- The ILA port worker strike ended last Thursday after the union accepted the USMX offer of a 62% wage increase over the next six years, and agreed to extend the expired contract until a January 15th deadline to resolve the remaining sticking points, with the role of port automation chief among them.
Some speculate that the USMX will try to leverage its wage concession toward a compromise on automation. But even after the wage agreement last week the union remained vocally opposed to any automation or semi-automation that would eliminate ILA jobs, so the new deadline is now marked on many calendars. But with the wage issue settled and the sides heading back to face-to-face negotiations for the first time since June, there is reason for some optimism. The end of the strike meant ports reopened on Friday, but the three day shutdown was enough to create a significant backlog of containers at ports with estimates of between 45 and 60 vessels waiting at anchor across East Coast and Gulf ports.
- Many industry experts estimate the three day backlog could take two or three weeks or more to clear. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, however, didn’t think the short closure and the 19 waiting ships were much worse than backlogs typical following winter storm shutdowns, and was optimistic that operations could recover by as early as the end of this week.
- In the meantime, shippers with containers at the ports or on vessels at anchor or due to arrive soon will likely continue to experience delays, while the level of disruption for arrivals further out will depend on how soon ports can restore fluidity. With ports reopening carriers have resumed reefer export bookings and have restarted the clocks for detention and demurrage charges too.
- Carriers introduced rate increases for transatlantic containers in anticipation of the strike and last week prices were 44% higher than in early September at $2,331/kg. In addition to the capacity being absorbed by East Coast backlogs from the strike, several European hubs, including Hamburg, are experiencing significant congestion which is also restraining supply and putting some upward pressure on rates. Carriers are also planning to reduce deployed capacity on this lane later in the month in the hope of preventing rates from falling back to the $1,600 - $1,800/FEU level they had maintained for much of the year.
- Transpacific ocean rates to both coasts had been easing in the lead up to the strike, and continued to do so during the closures, with last week’s rates more than 30% below highs reached in July. Ocean carriers had announced surcharges ranging from $1,000/FEU to $4,500/FEU in anticipation of disruptions due to the strike. But as most of these would only have gone into effect in mid-October or later they hadn’t impacted spot rates yet, and carriers have now suspended these new charges.
- With the strike over and peak season demand largely behind us from a significant pull forward of volumes in the last couple months, transpacific container rates should continue to ease on the seasonal lull in volumes between peak season and Lunar New Year. East Coast congestion caused by the strike, however, may slow the pace of the decline for these lanes if operations take several weeks to recover.
- As long as Red Sea diversions continue to absorb capacity across the market though, we should not expect rates to fall much below the floor reached back in April when transpacific rates fell to $3,000/FEU to the West Coast and $4,000/FEU to the East Coast – about double typical levels.
The early start and now early end to peak season for Asia - Europe trade, necessary to account for the longer lead times caused by Red Sea diversions, has led to a 53% drop in rates since mid-July, though at $4,075/FEU last week prices are still above the $3,300/FEU floor hit in April.  Prices to the Mediterranean have decreased 42% from their July peak, but at $4,476/FEU are just about back to their April level.

Oct 08 - Weekly Air rates - Freightos Air index

- China - N. America weekly prices increased 20% to $7.07/kg.
- China - N. Europe weekly prices fell 4% to $3.83/kg.
- N. Europe - N. America weekly prices increased 3% to $1.79/kg.

- The strike did lead to some ocean to air shift reflected in climbing rates on some lanes, and we may see some continued pressure on air cargo rates as long as some importers continue to expedite shipment of some essential inventories until stuck containers are received and ocean operations stabilize.
- Freightos Air Index data shows Europe - N. America air cargo rates have increased 4% to $1.79/kg since early September, possibly reflecting some shift of transatlantic ocean volumes to air.  
- Transpacific air cargo rates did not climb much in the lead up to the strike, but once the strike started China - N. America rates jumped to $7.07/kg from $5.91/kg the previous week. Rates on this lane have not been at or above $7/kg since peak season last year, and only briefly. So rates may be increasing on an increase of transpacific demand due to the strike and are climbing from an already elevated floor due to the surge of e-commerce volumes out of China that have kept rates around $6/kg for most of the year.  
Meanwhile, rates to Europe – still well above typical levels for this time of year due to e-commerce volumes – were about level last week at $3.83/kg, which may indicate that the price increase to N. America is strike driven.
- Middle East - N America air cargo rates were up to $3.06/kg last week, which is 30% higher than in mid-September and may reflect some ocean to sea-air shift due to the East Coast strike as well.

Oct 08 - Ukraine says Russian missiles strike two Black Sea grain vessels
A Russian missile hit a Palau-flagged vessel in Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa on Monday, killing a Ukrainian national and injuring five crew membersin the second such attack in as many days, officials said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X that the two ships were damaged in the Black Sea grain-export hub without giving details on the ships' conditions. He condemned Russia's actions.

Oct 08 - Saudi Arabia buys 307,000 tons of wheat in tender, GFSA says
Saudi Arabia has purchased 307,000 metric tons of wheat in a tender for arrival between December and January, the GFSA state buying agency said on Monday. The tender sought hard wheat with 12.5% protein, with the purchase was slightly above the 295,000 tons sought.

Oct 07 - Turkish flour mills seek relaxation of wheat import ban
Turkey's flour mills are seeking a relaxation of the country's ban on wheat imports, the mills' association said on Friday. Turkey, the world's largest flour exporter, banned wheat imports in June until Oct. 15, 2024, to protect farmers from low prices, promote domestic procurement of grains by the Turkish state grain board TMO and create a favourable market for farmers.

Oct 07 - Algeria tenders to buy nominal 50,000 T soft milling wheat, traders say
Algeria's state grains agency OAIC has issued an international tender to buy soft milling wheat to be sourced from optional origins, European traders said on Sunday. The tender sought a nominal 50,000 metric tons but Algeria often buys considerably more in its tenders than the nominal volume sought.

Oct 04 - US port strike ends, but clearing long ship queues will take time
U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports began reopening on Thursday night after dockworkers and port operators reached a wage deal to settle the industry's biggest work stoppage in nearly half a century, but clearing the cargo backlog will take time. At least 54 container ships queued up outside the ports over three days as the strike prevented unloading and threatened shortages of everything from bananas to auto parts.

Oct 04 - Kazakhstan seeks clarity from Russia over grain transit
Kazakhstan has asked Moscow to prove claims it has breached rules on plant health, the reason cited by Moscow for an effective ban of imports and transit of Kazakh grain, Kazakh officials said on Thursday. Russia is also a key transit country for other Kazakh exports such as oil and uranium, and trade tensions could make market players nervous about the steady supply of those commodities.

Oct 03 - NITRO Shipping Freight Report for Grains

- AZOV SEA & BLACK SEA: The Azov Sea basin experienced another week of increased freight activity. 3'k wheat lot rose from the low 30's at the beginning of last week to about usd 40 pmt fiost to this week and continue to firm up further. Grain traders are ready to pay better to secure tonnage for middle and end October dates already as the market is firming up fast. Owners, on the other hand, prefer to wait closer to vessel opening to fix at higher levels.

- BALTIC SEA: The Baltic Sea market continues to be weak, with plenty of prompt opening positions suitable employment opportunities.

- CASPIAN SEA: The market is steadily rebounding and approaching the levels seen in the past two weeks. The recent stabilization of freight rates, following a decrease in
enthusiasm surrounding the corn export quota, indicates that the market is adapting to changing conditions. This shift may result in more consistent rates in the future.

- FAR EAST: The market is more less stable nowadays.

Oct 03 - Russian grain exporters' lobby urges curbs on low price exports
Russia's export volumes from the first quarter of the 2024-2025 season were excessive, the country's grain exporters' union said on Wednesday, calling for a quota mechanism to limit shipments. The union said the first quarter export volume was roughly 17 million metric tons, citing preliminary data, already a quarter of the new season's export potential.

Oct 03 - Union Pacific says FXE issuing some US-Mexico grain shuttle permits
Union Pacific Corp said on Wednesday that Ferromex, the Mexican railroad it interchanges with, has resumed issuing permits for grain shuttle trains at the U.S.-Mexico border crossing at Eagle Pass, Texas. FXE could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Oct 02 - Ukrainian Weekly Freight Report (SPIKE BROKERS)

- AUTOMOTIVE LOGISTICS
In September, agricultural exports remained at the level of August, reaching 330 thousand tons, which is due to the almost complete absence of transitional residues from the previous year. The changes affected the distribution of volumes in different directions. In particular, the Polish border was reduced by 9% compared to August, to 140 thousand tons. At the same time, the Romanian border saw an increase in exports by 10% to 83 thousand tons. The Hungarian border also showed a positive trend, increasing by 12% and completing the month with an index of 32.7 thousand tons. The Moldovan and Slovak borders have kept the previous volumes — 50 thousand tons and 24.7 thousand tons, respectively. Active demand for domestic transportation has led to an increase in tariffs by an average of 3$, while tariffs for international transportation remained at the level of the previous week.

- RAILWAY LOGISTICS
The average daily indicator of export shipments by rail in September remained at the level of August, making up 206 cars per day. This is due to the procrastination of farmers with the sale of products in anticipation of more competitive prices. Changes in the volume of shipments across different borders were insignificant. On the Polish border, the volume of carriage transfer remained almost unchanged - 50.49 cars per day. On the Hungarian border, there was an increase in volumes by 14%, to 32.45 cars per day, and in the Slovak border, the increase was 15%, to 29.86 cars per day. At the same time, the Romanian border saw a decline of 2.4%, to 51.69 cars per day.
Unloading wagons with grain in the direction of the Black Sea ports ranged in the range of 900-1200 cars per day. At the end of September (30.09) the number of cars moving towards the ports of Greater Odessa was 5402 units, which is 16.7% more than the previous week. The accumulation of wagons in the port of Izmail decreased by 13%, to 596 units, and the average daily discharge increased by 9.7%, to 79 wagons per day. Availability of free private cars and independence from CTL cars allowed to slightly increase the tariffs for transportation within 1-3$.

- WATER LOGISTICS
Increased trade activity and increase in the number of orders changed the balance in the market in favor of shipowners. The cost of freight for the Handysizes in the direction of eastern Italy and Spain increased by 2$. The coster market also recorded an increase in rates of 1$. At the same time, due to the limited demand for barges, tariffs for transportation from Danube ports remain low. Freight rates for panamaxes have not changed due to lack of active demand.

Oct 02 - White House sides with union as dockworker strike enters second day
President Joe Biden’s administration heaped pressure on U.S. port employers to raise their offer to secure a labor deal with dockworkers on strike for a second day on Wednesday, choking half the country’s ocean shipping. The strike by the International Longshoremen's Association union has blocked everything from food to automobile shipments across dozens of ports from Maine to Texas in a disruption analysts warn will cost the economy billions of dollars a day.

Oct 02 - Morocco to import more wheat from Russia than France in 2024/25, grain traders chief
Russia is expected to be Morocco's top soft wheat supplier this 2024/25 season, surpassiFng France, the head of the Moroccan grain traders' association Omar Yacoubi said on Tuesday. Morocco needs to import 5 million metric tons of soft wheat, after a meagre domestic harvest due to drought, he told Reuters.

Oct 02 - What products could be affected by the port strike? - moneywatch
By Kate Gibson

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: October 1, 2024 / 5:30 PM EDT / CBS News

The first dockworkers strike at major East and Gulf coast ports in almost half a century could soon mean shortages of bananas and pricier imported cherries at U.S. grocery stores. That's because both fruits are among the more than 100 categories of food that depend on the now-shuttered operations, with the labor dispute also expected to delay auto shipments.

Just how much American consumers and the U.S. economy will be impacted by the strike's immediate disruption of ports that handle about half of the country's trade in cargo containers depends on the duration of the work stoppage, now in its first day.

"Each day that this goes on it creates a backlog of containers and ships," American Farm Bureau Federation economist Daniel Munch told CBS MoneyWatch. "A 3-to-5-day strike will take two weeks to clear — if it goes into three-week territory, it will be early January before it gets cleared."

How much do dockworkers make? Here are the striking workers' salaries.
Food products likely to be impacted in the nearer term include seafood, coffee and fruits and vegetables grown outside the U.S.  And while retailers that likely stocked up beforehand are buffered against an immediate impact, "at some point bananas are going to expire, frozen seafood is going to defrost," Munch said.

The strike, depending on its length, is going to felt by consumers and farmers who rely on the impacted ports to export containerized cargos of soybeans and shipments of poultry, said the economist, who urged both sides to work for a resolution.

"Within two to three weeks you should start seeing shortages," Andrew Coggins, a clinical professor of management and management science at Pace University's Lupin School of Business, told CBS MoneyWatch. "It is a big deal, especially if it lasts for a long time, because so much of what we use on a daily basis has at some point in its life traveled by ship or by water, or at least, some components," Coggins said.

The impact for U.S. consumers won't be immediate because companies learned to maintain backup supplies during the pandemic. "Before, there was a heavy reliance on just-in-time logistics. Then, when COVID hit and goods weren't coming in just-in-time from China and elsewhere, and the longshoremen were sick, it slowed everything down," he noted.

What products will be affected by the port strike
More than 75% of U.S. bananas arrive at ports handled by the International Longshoremen's Association, or ILA, according to the  farm bureau. Beyond the perishable fruit, nearly 90% of imported cherries, 85% of canned foodstuffs, 82% of hot peppers and 80% of chocolate that arrive via waterborne vessels are offloaded from containers at this ports, Munch noted.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday warned of possible banana shortages, telling a news conference at Port Authority headquarters: "I do not want to be in a position to say, 'Yes, we have no bananas,' but we could get to that point."

Much of the state's food supply is shipped by truck or rail from upstate and other states, or Canada and Mexico, and pharmaceuticals are flown in, Hochul said.

The automobile industry could feel a more immediate impact, however, with Hochul cautioning would-be buyers to call ahead.

"If you're expecting a new car this week, it may be something you want to check with your dealer. It may not be arriving, for example, in the next few weeks," she warned.

Imported beverages also at risk from dock strike
Beverages are also at risk of being in short supply or subject to price increases, with 80% of imported beer, wine, whiskey and scotch, as well as 60% of rum, arriving at East and Gulf coast ports, the farm bureau noted.

Retailers and importers of nonagricultural goods had sped up shipments in anticipation of the strike, and some ships were diverted to West Coast ports where workers are not among those striking.


"Our commodities that we export and Walmart definitely will be impacted," said Coggins. Some overseas goods might be rerouted to Mexico and sent out by rail or truck, he noted.

The strike could also prove an issue for American farmers and U.S. agricultural exports, leading to an overabundance of American-grown commodities domestically.

"Approximately 14% of all U.S. waterborne agricultural exports, by volume, would be at risk," wrote Munch. "Over a one-week period, the potential value of disrupted containerized ag exports is estimated at $318 million."

Oct 01 - Weekly Ocean rates - Freightos Baltic Index

- Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) fell 1% to $6,816/FEU.
- Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) fell 3% to $8,693/FEU.
- Asia-N. Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) fell 6% to $5,074/FEU.
- Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) fell 3% to $5,142/FEU.

- The long-anticipated ILA port worker union strike across US East Coast and Gulf ports began Monday night at 12:01am after the ILA and USMX failed to come to an agreement before the deadline.
- In the last few days the White House and other government officials had been urging both sides to return to the negotiating table, with USMX leadership reportedly meeting with the Biden administration late last week.
- The USMX made a last minute 50% wage increase offer, which the ILA rejected as the union is reportedly seeking a 77% increase. The USMX filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against the ILA last week, which, if accepted, would force the ILA back to the negotiating table, though the approval process could take several weeks.  In the last days before the strike logistics providers were hastening steps to minimize the impact of a strike as much as possible. Trucking firms were working to pull containers out of impacted ports before the shutdown. Carriers including ONE, Hapag-Lloyd, and MSC had some vessels omit East Coast port calls scheduled too close to the strike deadline, instead offloading all imports at other East Coast stops or in Mexico or Canada, though so far there haven’t been reports of outright diversions to unscheduled East Coast alternatives or to the West Coast.
- Some carriers have stopped accepting new reefer bookings for the East Coast and many are rolling out significant surcharges for new dry container bookings in October, which are likely to push East Coast rates up even while the ports are closed. Several carriers have announced they will stop the clock on detention and demurrage charges for containers stuck on container yards during the strike, with the FMC also warning against unfair D+D charges.
- Though container and intermodal capacity limits at alternative ports in Mexico and Canada do not make them viable options for a full-scale shift of impacted volumes, a three-day labor strike at two of the Port of Montreal’s five container terminals, is not helping matters either.
- It remains to be seen if the ILA will implement a sustained wide scale strike or some alternative – like strikes only at some key ports, only on certain days, or a slow down of operations at some or all ports – instead.  Some observers think that due to the economic implications of a prolonged full-scale strike and the political pressure it would place on the Biden administration, the ILA may prefer more limited actions and reduce the likelihood of government intervention.
- In any case, there are reportedly about 40 vessels slated to arrive just at the Port of New York/New Jersey this week, and the large majority will likely arrive and wait if the ports are shut down. Congestion and backlogs from a strike will cause delays for shippers with containers at the ports or on those or additional arriving vessels and – as already reflected in carrier surcharges – will push freight rates up.
- Demand had already shifted somewhat to the West Coast in the last few months, and a prolonged shutdown will intensify that trend. Demand increases or actual diverted vessels to the West Coast will likely push rates up there as well despite a projected overall decrease in import container volumes to the US in October.
The Ports of LA/Long Beach, as well as ports in the Pacific Northwest report fluid operations and preparedness for a sudden increase in volumes. But a prolonged strike and a significant shift of demand and port calls to the West Coast could eventually overwhelm the ports and lead to congestion that would further slow down operations, tie up capacity and push rates up.
- A long-enough strike on the East Coast would eventually be felt in capacity and empty container shortages in Europe, and significant enough congestion on the West Coast could likewise impact equipment availability at Asian origin hubs, affecting intra-Asia and Asia - Europe shipping as well.

Oct 01 - Weekly Air rates - Freightos Air index

- China - N. America weekly prices increased 9% to $5.91/kg.
- China - N. Europe weekly prices increased 8% to $3.97/kg.
- N. Europe - N. America weekly prices increased 1% to $1.73/kg.

- The anticipation of the strike has already pushed some shippers, especially of perishable goods, from ocean to air cargo. Freightos Air Index data for Latin America - N. America and N. America - Europe rates don't reflect an uptick in air cargo prices yet, though Europe - N. America rates have increased 4% to $1.73/kg since early September.
- China - N. America air rates increased 9% last week to $5.91/kg. This climb could reflect the beginning of air peak season, with prices already above typical peak season levels from the ongoing surge of e-commerce volumes. Though hubs in China are not reporting operational slow downs yet, some congestion is forming in Singapore and Vietnam, with the Philippines experiencing severe backlogs.

Oct 01 - US East Coast dockworkers strike, in blow to shipping imports and exports
Dockworkers along the U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast began a strike, halting the flow of about half the nation's ocean shipping after negotiations for a new labor contract broke down over wages. The strike blocks everything from food to automobile shipments across dozens of ports from Maine to Texas, in a disruption analysts warned will cost the economy billions of dollars a day, threaten jobs, and stoke inflation.

Oct 01 - BNSF rail to resume issuing grain shuttle permits to Mexico, company says
Berkshire Hathaway-owned BNSF Railway will resume issuing permits for grain shuttles heading to Mexico starting Tuesday, the company told Reuters on Monday, in a move that could help ease some delays impacting agricultural exports. The news comes as U.S. East and Gulf Coast port workers are set to go on strike on Tuesday, with no talks currently scheduled to head off a stoppage.

Sep 30 - India allows non-basmati white rice exports in boost for global supplies
India gave the go-ahead on Saturday for exports of non-basmati white rice to resume as inventories in the world's biggest exporter of the grain surge and farmers prepare to harvest a new crop in the coming weeks. Bigger rice shipments from India would beef up overall global supplies and soften international prices by forcing other major exporters of the staple such as Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam to reduce their rates, traders said.

Sep 30 - South Korea’s MFG passes in 70,000 T corn tender, traders say
South Korea's Major Feedmill Group is believed to have rejected all offers and made no purchase in an international tender to buy up to 70,000 metric tons of animal feed corn on Friday, European traders said. Prices were regarded as too high. The lowest offer was estimated to be $245.45 a ton cost and freight included plus a plus a $1.50 a ton surcharge for additional port unloading said to have been submitted by trading house Olam.

Sep 27 - Russia expands Baltic ports as it eyes new grain markets
Russia, the world's leading wheat exporter, is expanding its Baltic Sea ports as it aims to boost agricultural exports by 50% by 2030 while reducing dependence on traditional Black Sea routes, officials and executives said. The country, which exported at least 72 million metric tons of grain in the 2023/24 season, is looking at new markets in Latin America and Africa to diversify from its traditional grain markets in North Africa and the Middle East.

Sep 27 - Jordan tenders to buy up to 120,000 T feed barley, traders say
Jordan's state grains buyer has issued an international tender to purchase up to 120,000 metric tons of animal feed barley, European traders said on Thursday. The deadline for submission of price offers in the tender is Oct. 2.

Sep 26 - NITRO Shipping Freight Report for Grains

AZOV SEA & BLACK SEA: The market has risen this week due to uncertainty about whether Turkey will extend or lift its potential wheat export ban starting in the mid of October, along with significant delays of vessels in the Azov Sea. Owners see workable levels of low-mid 30's usd pmt fiost bss 3'k wheat ex Rostov to Marmara. However, opinions among market participants differ on future trends, as trading activity is not robust enough to sustain such an increase in freight rates.

BALTIC SEA: The Baltic Sea remains stagnant, and the market is experiencing low activity.

CASPIAN SEA
: The Caspian region has significantly gained momentum in recent days, driven by the announcement of increased export tariffs. Consequently, freight rates are experiencing a rise. Additionally, delays in unloading vessels in Iran have intensified pressure on freight rates, further supporting this upward trend.

FAR EAST
: The market is sluggish, with minimal activity in grain cargo exports. Additionally, the recent adverse weather conditions have led shipowners to be wary of committing to long-distance voyages.

Sep 26 - Weekly Ocean rates - Freightos Baltic Index

- Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) increased 1% to $6,875/FEU.
- Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) fell 4% to $8,952/FEU.
- Asia-N. Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) decreased 17% to $5,412/FEU.
- Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) fell 10% to $5,277/FEU.

- Less than five days remain before the ILA’s current contract expires and, most likely, a large-scale strike begins. The ILA and USMX have not met face to face since June and remain far apart on key issues like wage increases and port automation.
- Multiple shipper associations have reached out to the White House asking it to intervene. The vocally pro-union administration has stated that it does not intend to end a strike via the Taft-Hartley Act. At the same time, with the economic impact of a port shutdown estimated at several billion dollars per day and election day approaching, the administration will also be under pressure not to allow a strike to stretch on too long.
- In expectation of a strike starting Monday night, ports, carriers and regulators are getting ready.

An ILA strike on the East Coast and Gulf would completely shut down many ports and could effectively paralyze some that employ both ILA and non-union labor, while other hybrid ports will be able to keep some terminals running.
- Many of the major container hubs have extended their gate and terminal hours, including over the final weekend before the strike. Ports and rail operators are also setting deadlines for final pick-up and drop-offs, with particular concern for reefer shipments getting moved from the ports or loaded on vessels before the deadline to avoid going unattended on container yards.
- Some ocean carriers have stopped accepting new export bookings in anticipation of the strike.  Hapag-Lloyd announced that containers already en route to affected ports will not be rerouted, and many carriers have rolled out surcharges ranging from $400 to $3,000/FEU for all East Coast and Gulf containers starting in October.
During the pandemic, many shippers accrued significant storage charges on containers they were unable to move off container yards due to extreme port congestion. In anticipation of stuck containers during a strike the FMC has issued an advisory this week warning carriers and operators against unfair charges this time, with some already announcing they will stop the clock on detention and demurrage charges during the strike.
- Though many containers and vessels will be stuck on the East Coast and Gulf until operations resume, others will be diverted or shifted to West Coast services. Despite a record number of containers arriving at West Coast hubs last month, operations remained smooth. Operators attribute some of this success to lessons learned during the pandemic – including increased warehouse capacity, better chassis management, and off-site container yards – which should allow them to handle a sudden volume surge reasonably well in the event of a strike.
- But with ILA ports accounting for roughly half of all US container traffic, a prolonged shutdown would still result in West Coast port congestion and delays, which would contribute to additional upward pressure on rates alongside the increase in demand. A prolonged strike would also eventually impact vessel and container availability at origin ports in Europe and Asia, which could spread the strike’s impact beyond North America causing delays and rate increases for all lanes out of those hubs.

Sep 26 - Weekly Air rates - Freightos Air index


- China - N. America weekly prices decreased 6% to $5.43/kg.
- China - N. Europe weekly prices fell 2% to $3.67/kg.
- N. Europe - N. America weekly prices increased 2% to $1.72/kg.

Sep 26 - Shippers scramble for workarounds ahead of threatened US port strike
U.S. companies that rely on East and Gulf Coast seaports have been importing early, shifting goods to the West Coast, and even putting cargo on pricey flights to hedge against a threatened Oct. 1 strike that could jam supply chains and reignite inflation ahead of the U.S. presidential election. "This is just another headache after everything else we've been dealing with," said Kenneth Sanchez, CEO of Chesapeake Specialty Products, which sends goods like metallic abrasives and foundry sand additives used to make engine blocks and transmissions to customers around the world.

Sep 26 - Brazil drought dries river and stops shipping on key grains corridor
A widespread drought in Brazil has halted the transport of grains through the Madeira river, an important northern waterway linking key croplands with the country's ports, regional port terminals association Amport said on Wednesday. The Madeira river is a key corridor for shipping products from Rondonia state and parts of Mato Grosso state, Brazil's top soy producer, to export terminals located in the country's northern states.

Sep 25 - Ukrainian Weekly Freight Report (SPIKE BROKERS)

Traded freight
Automotive logistics (dump trucks):
· Kyiv region. - Cherkasy region (heather-yellow) @890₴ with VAT

- AUTOMOTIVE LOGISTICS
There is a slight revival in the agricultural export market, caused by the start of the harvesting campaign. Export volumes remain stable, there are no sharp fluctuations, but some changes in the distribution along the borders have been observed.
Over the past week, 81.5 thousand tons of agricultural products have been exported. A decrease in exports at the Moldovan border is recorded - 12.99 thousand tons, which is 7% less than in the previous week. At the same time, the Romanian and Hungarian borders are experiencing an increase in exports by 14% and 11%, respectively, reaching indicators of 20.3 thousand tons and 8.3 thousand tons, respectively. The Polish border showed an increase of 6%, which increased to 33.6 thousand tons, and the Slovak border increased by 5%, reaching 6.25 thousand tons.
The increased demand led to an increase in transportation tariffs to Europe, an average of €5, while domestic tariffs remain at the prior-week level.

- RAILWAY LOGISTICS
The activity of trade exports is gradually being restored, which contributes to an increase in the load of grain cargoes to 79.66 thousand tons per day. Export volumes across Polish and Slovak borders remain almost the same as last week, accounting for 54.64 and 27.23 scales/day, respectively.
On the Romanian border, there is an increase of 5%, to 51.05 weights per day, while on the Hungarian border there was a significant increase of 20%, to 28.18 weights per day. The average daily rate of carriage transfer across all borders increased by 6%, to 197 cars.
4629 cars are moving in the direction of deep-sea ports of Ukraine, which is 10% more than in the previous week. The average daily discharge rate also shows an increase of 5%, up to 984 cars per day. The accumulation of wagons in the port of Izmail increased by 10%, to 686 wagons, but the average daily discharge rate decreased slightly and is 72 scales per day.
Car owners remain in anticipation of increased demand in October and carefully record the tariffs for the next month, hoping to increase them. The instability and unpredictability of the market led to a sporadic decline in rates last week.

- WATER LOGISTICS
The growth of exports intensified the market a little, which led to an increase in freight rates by 2$ from the Danube ports towards Italy. However, the available export volumes are still insufficient for the initiative to take over the side of shipowners. The presence of free tonnage in ports continues to restrain further growth of rates, leaving them at the level of the previous week.
Freight on the barge remains at minimum levels, waiting for an increase in the flow of goods that has not yet occurred.

Sep 25 - White House monitoring US port talks, considering supply chain impacts
Officials from President Joe Biden's administration are monitoring labor talks but not trying to broker a labor deal to avert an Oct. 1 strike at U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports that handle roughly half of the country's ocean imports, administration officials said on Tuesday. Negotiations between the International Longshoremen's Association union and the United States Maritime Alliance employer group appear to be deadlocked over pay as the Sept. 30 contract expiration approaches.

Sep 25 - Argentina grains exports could hit four-year high in 2024/25 season, exchange says
Grains and oilseed output in Argentina could reach up to 143 million metric tons in the 2024/25 season under normal weather conditions, which could boost exports to their highest volume in four years, the Rosario grains exchange said on Tuesday, Given normal conditions, exports of the country's soy, corn, wheat and other crops could rise to 101.5 million tons, the exchange said in a since the 2020/21 season.

Sep 24 - Rice from Vietnam/Myanmar offered lowest in Indonesia’s tender, traders say
The lowest price offered in the international tender from Indonesian state purchasing agency Bulog buy about 450,000 metric tons of rice was estimated at $539.30 a ton cost and freight for rice expected to be sourced from either Vietnam or Myanmar, European traders said on Monday. The lowest offer was said to have been made for up to 30,200 tons.

Sep 24 - Iran's SLAL tenders for 120,000 T feed barley, traders say
Iranian state-owned animal feed importer SLAL has issued an international tender to buy at least 120,000 metric tons of animal feed barley, European traders said on Monday.
The deadline for submission of price offers in the tender is Tuesday, Sept. 24, they said.

Sep 23 - Taiwan’s MFIG tenders to buy up to 65,000 metric tons corn
Taiwan's MFIG purchasing group has issued an international tender to buy up to 65,000 metric tons of animal feed corn which can be sourced from the United States, Brazil or South Africa, European traders said on Friday. The deadline for submission of price offers in the tender is Sept. 25, they said.

Sep 23 - Jordan tenders to buy up to 120,000 metric tons feed barley, traders say
Jordan's state grains buyer has issued an international tender to purchase up to 120,000 metric tons of animal feed barley, European traders said on Monday. The deadline for submission of price offers in the tender is Sept. 25. A new announcement had been expected after Jordan made no purchase in its previous tender for 120,000 tons of barley on Thursday.

Sep 20 - China soybean imports from US gain pace in AugustChina's soybean imports from the United States rose 70% in August from a year earlier, customs data showed on Friday, as buyers took advantage of low soybean prices. Shipments from the U.S., its second-biggest supplier, have gained pace since April, though volume remains much smaller than top producer Brazil.

Sep 19 - Port strike on US East Coast would spark supply-chain glitches from outset, shipping firm exec says
A threatened Oct. 1 strike by dockworkers at ports on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico would immediately disrupt the flow of goods in the country, the North America chief executive of French container carrier CMA CGM said on Wednesday. The International Longshoremen's Association union represents 45,000 workers at 36 ports including New York/New Jersey, Houston and Savannah, Georgia.  

Sep 19 - FranceAgriMer slashes soft wheat export forecasts after poor crop
FranceAgriMer on Wednesday sharply lowered its forecast for French soft wheat exports in 2024/25, after a rain-hit harvest strongly lowered supplies in the European Union's top grain producer. In a supply and demand outlook, the office pegged exports outside the 27-member bloc at 4 million metric tons, down from an initial projection of 7.5 million in July and now 61% below last season's level.

Sept 18 - NITRO Shipping Weekly Freight Report for Grains

- AZOV SEA & BLACK SEA: The Azov Sea market is gradually strengthening this week. Many vessels remain stranded in Rostov, Azov, and at Kerch due to significantly low
water levels resulting from eastern winds. Charterers are willing to increase their offers slightly, by (1-2 usd pmt fiost), to secure tonnage for both short and long hauls.
Transshipment trade continues to be robust.

- BALTIC SEA: The Baltic Sea region remains at low levels, and there are few cargoes available.

- CASPIAN SEA: This week, the Caspian basin is experiencing unstable dynamics, with the market remaining relatively stable but exhibiting minor fluctuations. There has been
an influx of vessels from the Azov-Black Sea basin, which is expected to impact the market shortly.

- FAR EAST: The market has shown continued weakness in recent days.

Sep 18 - Ukrain Weekly Freight Report (SPIKE BROKERS)

Traded freight
Railway logistics (eurocars):
· Chop, Ukraine - Northern Italy (October) @41€->44€

- AUTOMOTIVE LOGISTICS
The gradual resumption of trade activity caused an increase in agricultural exports by 15% compared to the previous week, reaching 80.7 thousand tons. The largest changes are recorded at the Moldovan border, where export volume increased by 31% to 14.1 thousand tons. On the Polish border, a significant increase was also noted - by 20%, to 35.9 thousand tons. The Hungarian border shows an increase of 11% to 7.5 thousand tons, while the Slovak border increased by 4% to 5.9 thousand tons. The volume of exports across the Romanian border remains stable at 17.4 thousand tons.
The average daily export across all borders is 11.5 thousand tons, and the largest exported goods include sunflower oil (23.9 thousand tons) and soybeans (13.9 thousand tons). Domestic tariffs have increased by an average of 5%, while tariffs for international transportation remain stable at the level of the previous week.

Market rates of transportation by cars:
· zh. Ukraine - Center. / Mon. Italy @110-130€
· zh. Ukraine - center. Bulgaria @80-105€
· zh. Ukraine - Sh. Germany @105-120€
· center. Ukraine - PD. Romania @70-100€
· center. Ukraine - Mon. Italy (tank trucks) @150-180€
· zh. Ukraine - PD. Poland (tank trucks) @60-80€
· center. Ukraine - ports of the Danube @37-42$
· center. Ukraine - Ports of Odessa @25-32$

- RAILWAY LOGISTICS
The second week of September shows a decline in the rates of carriage transfer on the western borders of Ukraine. In particular, at the Polish and Romanian borders, the number of cars fell by 12%, to 53.61 and 48.47 cars per day, respectively. At the Slovak border, the figure remained almost unchanged and is 26.8 cars per day. The Hungarian border, on the contrary, showed an increase of 13%, to 22.47 cars per day. The total average daily rate of carriage transfer across all borders decreased by 4% compared to the previous week and is 185 cars per day.
In ports, there is an activation of work. The average daily rate of unloading wagons in the ports of Greater Odessa increased by 20% and is 936 wagons per day. 4180 cars are moving in the direction of deep-water ports of Ukraine, which corresponds to the previous week's indicator. The accumulation of wagons in the port of Izmail increased by 35%, to 619 units. The number of wagons unloaded in the port of Izmail also increased by 5% and is 74 units.
Tariffs for rail transportation remained unchanged.

Market rates of railway transportation:
· Lviv region. - border @15-20$ | port @26-30$
· Rivne region - border @17-20$ | port @23-28$
· Ivano-Frankivsk region. - border @15-20$ | port @23-26$
· Zhytomyr region - border @20-25$ | port @24-27$
· Chernihiv region.- border @23-28$ | port @25-29$
· Cherkasy region - border @22-29$ | port @19-26$
· Kharkiv region - border @28-35$ | port @25-30$
· Ternopil region - border @16-20$ | port @22-25$
· Mostyska II - Germany @49-51€

- WATER LOGISTICS
The intensification of trading activity has not led to an increase in freight rates due to the sufficient presence of tonnage. The rates for transportation from the Danube ports towards the east coast of Italy remain stable. The large number of available vessels in deep sea ports also constrains the growth of tariffs on destinations to Spain and Greece, keeping them at the previous level. Freight rates for barge transportation in the direction of Constanta also remain unchanged, despite problems with the draft on the Danube.

Market transportation rates from river ports:
· Izmail - Constanta, Romania (1-3 thousand tons) @10€
· Izmail - Ruse/Silistra, Bulgaria (1-3 thousand tons) @16€
· Ishmael - the eastern coast of Italy (5-7 thousand tons) @25-27$
· Reni - Marmara, Turkey (5-7 thousand tons) @17-18$

Market rates of transportation from seaports:
· Chornomorsk - the eastern coast of Italy (30-35 thousand tons) @21-22$
· Chernomorsk - PD. China (60-65 thousand tons) @48-50$
· Chernomorsk - PD. ʼVietnam (60-65 thousand tons) @45-46$