# Bulk Grain Shipping Rates Surge 26% in Q2 2026 | Feed & Grain

> Ocean freight for bulk grain from the US Gulf to Japan averaged $69.27 per metric ton in Q2 2026, up 26% quarterly and 49% year over year. Pacific Northwest to Japan rates rose 18% quarterly, while European routes declined 2%.

- Date: 2026-07-24 · published 2026-07-24T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16784-bulk-grain-shipping-rates-surge-26-in-q2-2026-feed-and-grain
- Commodities: [Ocean Grain Freight](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OCEANFRT.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Sorghum](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SORGHUM.md)

## Why it matters

Higher Gulf freight widens the export spread and erodes US Gulf price competitiveness versus Pacific Northwest and other origins, pressuring Gulf bids for corn, soybeans and sorghum.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bearish ▼
- CORN: bearish ▼
- SORGHUM: bearish ▼
- OCEANFRT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2025-01-20 | [US grain rail shipments rise 6% as barge movements plummet 36% \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16481-us-grain-rail-shipments-rise-6-as-barge-movements-plummet-36-feed-and-grain.md) | +0.3% | +2.9% |
| CORN | 2026-01-12 | [US corn and wheat supplies rise in latest WASDE \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12589-us-corn-and-wheat-supplies-rise-in-latest-wasde-feed-and-grain.md) | -2.8% | -1.7% |
| CORN | 2026-10-15 | [USDA Raises Feed Grain Supply; Board Holds Without New Quotes \| The Ration](https://feedsoft.ai/events/569-usda-raises-feed-grain-supply-board-holds-without-new-quotes-the-ration.md) | -1.3% | — |
| CORN | 2019-08-13 | [The Commodities Feed: Bearish WASDE surprises grain market \| snaps \| ING THINK](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57541-the-commodities-feed-bearish-wasde-surprises-grain-market-snaps-ing-think.md) | -3.3% | -8.2% |
| CORN | 2023-09-08 | [Farmers in Rio Grande do Sul Hoping for a Better 2023/24](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13626-farmers-in-rio-grande-do-sul-hoping-for-a-better-2023-24.md) | -1.3% | -5.3% |
| SOY | 2019-02-07 | [Grain Barge Tonnages Drop in 2018 \| Feed & Grain News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/60485-grain-barge-tonnages-drop-in-2018-feed-and-grain-news.md) | -0.6% | -3.4% |
| SOY | 2025-01-20 | [US grain rail shipments rise 6% as barge movements plummet 36% \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16481-us-grain-rail-shipments-rise-6-as-barge-movements-plummet-36-feed-and-grain.md) | +1.1% | +0.4% |
| SOY | 2024-05-16 | [Global soybean supply to increase in marketing year 2024/25 \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30322-global-soybean-supply-to-increase-in-marketing-year-2024-25-feed-and-grain.md) | +2.7% | -2.0% |

## Sources

- feedandgrain.com: https://www.feedandgrain.com/grain-supply-chain/transportation/news/15830858/bulk-grain-shipping-rates-surge-26-in-q2-2026

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