# Drought on the Mississippi: Climate Change Hits the Marine Transportation System - CCICADA

> Record low Mississippi River water in October 2022 and again in October 2023 left barges stranded and forced lighter loads, shorter tows and one-way traffic. About 2,000 barges were backed up at the 2022 low, and round trips on the Lower Mississippi took nearly twice as long. Barge rates rose more than 400% above average during the disruptions.

- Date: 2024-05-02 · published 2024-05-02T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16539-drought-on-the-mississippi-climate-change-hits-the-marine-transportation-system
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Low water raised barge freight costs and reduced capacity for both fertilizer moving upriver and grain moving downriver. Higher freight widens the basis for interior grain and feed ingredients relative to Gulf prices.

## Read by commodity

- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Sources

- ccicada.org: https://ccicada.org/2024/05/02/drought-on-the-mississippi-climate-change-hits-the-marine-transportation-system/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.