River barges were busy in 2025, overcoming weather challenges

Despite many operational challenges, the barge industry maintained a busy year with “robust” agricultural cargo movements in 2025, according to a review by the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, which tracks barge traffic on the inland waterways.
 
High water, low water, and ice accumulation along the Mississippi River system resulted in draft and tow-size restrictions for much of the harvest season last year, the report said, but strong corn exports kept barges moving.
 
Total 2025 barge volumes through the system were 11% higher than in 2024, and the largest since 2022. Corn volumes hit their highest peak since 2021, while volumes of soybeans were at their lowest since 2021, and wheat volumes at their lowest since 2010.
 
On the Columbia-Snake River system, which mostly handles wheat shipments, movements were up 23% from 2024, due largely to an increase in soft white wheat exports.
 
The first challenges to barging emerged in late January last year, when a rare winter storm disrupted barges unloading in New Orleans, followed in February by winter storms, freezing temperatures, and high water to the north of the Mississippi River system. Delays and a strong export demand pushed up first-quarter spot rates: 37% higher than the first quarter 2024 at St. Louis, and up 11% from the five-year average.
 
During the first three months of 2025, barges moved 7.5 million tons of grain through the Mississippi River system, up 5% over 2024 first-quarter levels and 4% lower than the prior five-year average. During the same period, wheat moved along the Columbia-Snake River system was up 137% over the first quarter of 2024. The jump reflected an extended closure of locks for maintenance in 2024 and an increase in soft white wheat exports.
 
In the second quarter, barge traffic was disrupted by unanticipated repairs and flooding on the Ohio River and Lower Mississippi that delayed the reopening of two mid-Mississippi River locks near St. Louis and the Melvin Price Lock and Dam in Illinois. After these locks were reopened, traffic was quick to recover.
 
The third quarter saw an extremely dry August, with Mississippi River water levels dropping from almost 6' to less than 7' in September at Memphis. Draft and a tow-size restrictions caused barge movements to fall 68%. Barged grain volumes had a seasonal dip of 17% from the previous quarter but were up 12% from the same time in 2024, mainly due to a 30% jump in soybean shipments and 4% hike in corn shipments, mostly due to an aggressive export push to move stored grain.
 
Then, in October and November last year, the Mississippi and Ohio River water levels dropped critically low, forcing barges to lighten loads. In December, cold temperatures led to ice accumulation on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois River, which caused low water on the lower Mississippi, which led to draft and tow restrictions. But fourth-quarter barge volumes were still up 25% from the previous quarter, while wheat movements in the western rivers were up 37% from the fourth quarter.
 
So far in 2026, the report said barge volumes fell in early February because of ice on the Mississippi, while spot rates increased sharply.
 
Looking ahead, the report notes that the February World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates project that corn exports will climb 15% and wheat exports will jump 9% from 2024/2025.
 
“As of Feb. 5, total unshipped balances of corn, wheat, and soybeans were 42.79 million metric tons, up 20% from the same date last year,” the report said. “These balances represent future transportation demand, including for barge transportation.”