# Shipping Roundup for End of March - Steel Market Update

> The MID-SHIP report says the dry bulk freight market is recovering from its cyclical low, with the Baltic Dry Index at 1338 on March 29, its highest since November 2014, before easing to 1282 by April 4. Barge demand is flat, spot grain barge rates have fallen below the benchmark tariff, and heavy rain and lock repairs are disrupting river navigation.

- Date: 2017-04-03 · published 2017-04-03T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region Global · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/71677-shipping-roundup-for-end-of-march-steel-market-update
- Commodities: [Ocean Grain Freight](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OCEANFRT.md), [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Firmer ocean freight raises the cost of moving grain and meal from origin to buyers. Weak barge rates, however, reflect surplus river capacity that partly offsets the disruption and keeps inland freight costs contained.

## Read by commodity

- BARGE: bearish ▼
- OCEANFRT: bullish ▲

## Sources

- steelmarketupdate.com: https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/2017/04/03/shipping-roundup-for-end-of-march/

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