Weekly U.S. Rail Loadings Rise

WASHINGTON - Maty 4/06 - SNS -- The number of carloads of grains and oilseeds delivered to U.S. ports for the week ending April 26 rose, according to the USDA's Transportation and Marketing Programs/Transportation Services Branch weekly Grain Transportation Report.

Total carloads delivered to major port areas during the week totalled 8,208, versus 7,758 the previous week. This lifted calendar year to date deliveries to 163,906 cars, up 4% from the 158,135 cars unloaded during the same period last year.

Discussing the ocean freight situation facing North American exporters, the USDA noted that despite a modest increase in rates during the first quarter of the 2006 calendar year, "rates for all the grain routes were lower than they were a year ago.

"Average ocean freight rates for U.S. Gulf to Japan and Gulf to Rotterdam decreased during the first quarter 2006. Rates for the benchmark grain route Gulf to Japan averaged about $36 per metric ton (MT) during the first quarter 2006, an 18% decrease from the fourth quarter 2005, and 41% lower than the first quarter 2005," the USDA said.

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