# US Barging Industry Navigating Black Swan Events

> The US barge industry is being shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse in oil prices, with impacts varying by cargo type. Kirby Corp., the largest US tank barge operator, reported utilization around 95-97% in March driven by petrochemical customers, but warned volumes could fall if recession deepens.

- Date: 2020-05-07 · published 2020-05-07T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/53326-us-barging-industry-navigating-black-swan-events
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Barge freight rates and utilization affect the cost of moving grain and meal down the Mississippi; a softer petrochemical-driven market could ease barge capacity tightness for feed ingredients.

## Read by commodity

- BARGE: neutral

## Sources

- marinelink.com: https://www.marinelink.com/news/us-barging-industry-navigating-black-swan-478301

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