USA: containers carried 11% of waterborne grain exports, and the Gulf-to-Japan rate is $73 per tonne

The US Department of Agriculture's weekly Grain Transportation Report of 12 November 2026 carries data on container shipments, ocean freight and vessel loadings in the Gulf of Mexico. The report is published by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

Key figures

• Containers: 11% of exports
• August: +7% vs 2025
• Gulf to Japan: $73/t
• Gulf loadings: -30%
• Freight on year: +34%

What changed

The report shows how ocean logistics for US grain is changing. In 2025, containers carried 11% of all grain exported by water. Container shipments in August 2026 were up 7.0% from a year earlier and 30.5% above the five-year average. At the same time, 23 grain vessels were loaded in the Gulf of Mexico in the week ending 5 November, 30% fewer than a year ago.

In numbers

Key figures from the report of 12 November 2026:

• About 48% of US waterborne grain exports in 2025 went to Asia, of which 19% moved in containers
• Gulf grain vessels, week ending 5 November: 23 loaded (-30% from last year); 37 expected over the next 10 days (+6%)
• Gulf-to-Japan rate on 5 November: $73.00 per tonne (-2% in a week); Pacific Northwest-to-Japan: $39.50 (unchanged)
• October average: Gulf $76 per tonne (+34% from October 2025), Northwest $38 (+28%)
• Inspected for export in the week ending 5 November: 3.1 million tonnes of grain, the same as a year ago

What it means for the buyer

For a buyer in Kazakhstan or Ukraine the report is a guide to the cost of ocean shipping from the USA: grain freight rates in October were 28-34% higher than a year earlier, and the container segment is growing. The rates in the report are for bulk voyages (Japan, China), so for a container of machinery or seed to your port, ask for a separate quote and lock the rate at the shipment date rather than relying on last year's prices.

Source: US Department of Agriculture (AMS), Grain Transportation Report, 12 November 2026