
Repairs at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam near Alton, Illinois, have kept the lock closed since July 16 after six loaded barges struck it on July 6. As of August 2, 47 boats were queued, with 24 northbound and 23 southbound.
Operations were expected to remain delayed until August 17, with the auxiliary chamber open but lacking tow haulage.
The lock closure creates a queue of about 47 tows, which delays grain barges and tightens barge capacity on the Upper Mississippi. Longer waits raise freight costs and can slow shipments of corn and soybeans to Gulf export terminals.
Not enough comparable past events yet for a historical read.
Moves of each commodity's benchmark from the last close before the event. Historical reads pool past events of the same kind; they describe what happened, not what will. Not investment advice.