The number of upbound empty barges transiting Mississippi River Locks 27 (near St. Louis) hit 592 for the week ending May 16, the highest since 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly Grain Transportation Report.
2005 was when the GTR began reporting U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ data on empty barge movements. As of May 19, the increased supply of empties from May 10-16 helped lower barge rates 5% for the Davenport, Iowa, area of the Upper Mississippi River and lowered rates 7% on the Illinois River, according to GTR. St. Louis rates dropped 3% compared to last week. However, Minneapolis/St. Paul rates increased 8% for the week ended May 16. The barge supply is tighter in the northernmost section of the Upper Mississippi.
Elsewhere, significant high water conditions have stopped most barge traffic on sections of the Arkansas River. For the week ending May 16, there was no reported downbound grain traffic at Arkansas River Lock 1 near Tichnor, Ark., the USDA said.
