Category: Freight

Ukrainian freight: Capacity recovery underway via additional diesel locomotives, but power infrastructure damage keeps rail-to-port flows constrained and schedules fragile. Russian grain exports: November shipments up 5% YoY to 6.3 million tons, driven by strong Turkish and Iranian wheat demand and expanded Turkish barley imports. Black Sea logistics: Rostov Region moved 1.4 million tons of…

Export surge: Global palm oil exports are projected to jump 9.4% to 26.2 million tonnes in 2025, led by a sharp increase in Indonesian shipments. Price advantage: Elevated Malaysian inventories are improving palm oil’s price competitiveness versus other vegetable oils, challenging Black Sea sunflower oil demand. Moderating output: Global production is forecast to ease to…

Neutral to slightly bullish: Rail grain exports via EU border crossings have increased by around 34 cars per day versus November, led by stronger flows through Slovakia and Hungary. Logistical resilience: Higher rail capacity is partially offsetting constrained seaborne routes, supporting export continuity but not yet restoring pre-conflict shipment levels. Mixed regional dynamics: A marginal…

Malaysia cut its unrefined palm oil export duty to 9.5% for January 2026 from 10% in December, responding to weaker global prices. The reference price for palm oil fell to 3,946.17 ringgit/tonne from 4,206.38 ringgit, reflecting about a 6% month‑on‑month decline. Impact on Black Sea sunflower oil is mostly neutral, but cheaper Malaysian palm oil…

Russian pork and by-product exports to Vietnam hit a record 80,000 tons (Jan–Nov), up 28% YoY and worth $186 million. Total Russian pork exports are nearing 400,000 tons globally in 2024, with export revenues close to $1 billion. Rising protein exports from Black Sea origins to Southeast Asia may tighten vessel capacity and support freight…

Bearish exports: Ukrainian grain exports are down 28.6% year-on-year to 13.821 million tons, tightening global supply from the Black Sea region. Corn under pressure: Corn shipments dropped 40% to 4.75 million tons, likely shifting demand toward alternative origins and supporting rival exporters’ prices. Improving flow: December exports accelerated to 1.389 million tons in the first…

Russia’s inland waterways: Planned river links from Siberia and the Urals to Northwest and Azov-Black Sea ports could gradually shift 5–10 MMT of grain per year away from rail, modestly reshaping regional freight flows. Kazakhstan exports: Projected grain exports of around 13 MMT in 2025/26, following a 27 MMT harvest, support continued strong Black Sea–linked…

EU Tightens Safeguards: European Parliament committee backs stricter and faster safeguard rules on Mercosur agricultural imports, lowering the trigger threshold to a 5% average rise over three years for sensitive products. Faster Investigations: Proposed timelines for safeguard probes are cut in half, to three months for standard and two months for sensitive products, with scope…