# No Impact From Tariffs Yet, Ship Pilots Say - The Waterways Journal

> Pilots from two Mississippi River pilot associations told a July 11 port safety meeting that foreign-flag ship calls on the Lower Mississippi have stayed steady despite the Trump administration's trade pressure. They said the usual summer drop in vessel traffic has not happened since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They also noted that grain buyers who moved business to Argentina may return because of Argentina's poor harvest.

- Date: 2018-07-20 · published 2018-07-20T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/63913-no-impact-from-tariffs-yet-ship-pilots-say-the-waterways-journal
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

Steady vessel calls suggest that tariffs have not yet disrupted grain export logistics on the lower river, so there is no direct freight-driven price pressure. Any return of buyers to U.S. grain would support export demand.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2018-11-16 | [Tariffs Bite At End Of Better Year For Barging - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61940-tariffs-bite-at-end-of-better-year-for-barging-the-waterways-journal.md) | -1.2% | +7.2% |
| CORN | 2020-01-10 | [New Studies Detail Impacts Of Possible Lock Closures - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55272-new-studies-detail-impacts-of-possible-lock-closures-the-waterways-journal.md) | -1.0% | -0.7% |
| CORN | 2024-07-03 | [Barge Fleet Cargo Is Diverse - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16523-barge-fleet-cargo-is-diverse-the-waterways-journal.md) | +0.7% | -0.8% |
| CORN | 2018-10-19 | [St. Joseph Port Has New Operator - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/62419-st-joseph-port-has-new-operator-the-waterways-journal.md) | -2.9% | -6.2% |
| CORN | 2020-03-31 | [Amid Virus Crisis, Let’s Not Forget High Water - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54028-amid-virus-crisis-let-s-not-forget-high-water-the-waterways-journal.md) | -2.6% | -11.2% |
| SOY | 2018-11-16 | [Tariffs Bite At End Of Better Year For Barging - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61940-tariffs-bite-at-end-of-better-year-for-barging-the-waterways-journal.md) | -0.9% | +1.8% |
| SOY | 2020-01-10 | [New Studies Detail Impacts Of Possible Lock Closures - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55272-new-studies-detail-impacts-of-possible-lock-closures-the-waterways-journal.md) | -1.0% | -5.5% |
| SOY | 2024-07-03 | [Barge Fleet Cargo Is Diverse - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16523-barge-fleet-cargo-is-diverse-the-waterways-journal.md) | -2.0% | -11.7% |

## Sources

- waterwaysjournal.net: https://www.waterwaysjournal.net/2018/07/20/no-impact-from-tariffs-yet-ship-pilots-say/

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