Insights and Stories on Shipping

Black Sea grain deal extended for two months

May. 17, 2023 at 11:44 am CDT

Ankara/United Nations | Reuters — The Ukraine Black Sea grain deal has been extended for two more months, one day before Russia could have quit the pact over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced the extension in a televised speech and it was confirmed […]

File photo of a docked grain vessel at a Black Sea port in Turkey.

Bulk ocean freight rates recover off lows

Feb. 27, 2023 at 7:12 pm CST

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Ship insurers to cancel war cover for Russia, Ukraine from Jan. 1

Dec. 28, 2022 at 6:18 pm CST

By Carolyn Cohn Jonathan Saul

U.N. expects ‘big uptick’ in ships wanting to export Ukraine grain

Aug. 10, 2022 at 2:27 pm CDT

By Michelle Nichols

Cold and hungry: Food inflation bites Canada’s North

Aug. 8, 2022 at 3:30 pm CDT

By Rod Nickel

Baltic Dry Index at three-month lows

Jul. 11, 2022 at 7:57 pm CDT

MarketsFarm — Ocean freight rates have come under pressure over the past month as demand for freight backs away, which could be seen as a sign of the slowing global economy. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), which is a major indicator of shipping rates, settled at 2,081 points on Monday, […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Shipping container issues make Canada uncompetitive

Jun. 23, 2022 at 3:06 pm CDT

MarketsFarm – Even though harvest in Canada is months away, major issues with shipping by container out of the country needs to be resolved, according to Greg Northey, vice-president of corporate affairs for Pulse Canada and the spokesperson for the Coalition to Fix the Container Crunch. “The worry in the […]

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm

Biden signs ocean shipping bill in bid to reduce backlogs

Jun. 16, 2022 at 7:17 pm CDT

Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday signed legislation to improve oversight of ocean shipping, which lawmakers say will help curb inflation and ease export backlogs. The bipartisan bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on a 369-42 vote earlier this week. Biden said he had “promised […]

By David Shepardson

London marine insurers label all Russian waters high risk

Apr. 4, 2022 at 8:08 pm CDT

London | Reuters — London’s marine insurance market on Monday added all of Russia’s waters to its list of areas deemed high risk, an advisory showed, which is likely to raise the cost of shipping and adds to the logistical pressures on Moscow. Guidance from the Joint War Committee, which […]

By Jonathan Saul

Ukraine’s ports to stay closed until Russian invasion ends

Feb. 28, 2022 at 4:44 pm CST

London | Reuters — Ukrainian ports will remain closed until Russia’s invasion ends, the head of Ukraine’s Maritime Administration said on Monday, adding that the port of Mariupol has sustained damage from Russian shelling. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, calling its actions a “special operation.” “The ports will be […]