US Inland Waterways: High Waters & Swirling Currents
The inland waterway system, flowing through the United States heartland, is a microcosm of all that has been happening in 2020: trade tensions, infrastructure issues, shifting trends in fuel consumption and the pandemic that has gripped us since the winter months. Shortly after the initial coronavirus outbreak here in the U.S., maritime workers were deemed to be āessentialā, paving the way for cargo flows to recover from their springtime nadir. As COVID-19 infections turned up on U.S. shores, the boats continued plying the waterways, albeit with reduced volumes in some cases.
US Sorghum Reaches Spain as Traders Divert More Ships from China
A rare cargo of U.S. sorghum has arrived in Spain and will be followed by several more, shipping data showed, a sign that Spain's livestock industry is set to become one of the new homes for U.S. sorghum hit by Chinese anti-dumping tariffs.Exporters have been scrambling to divert hundreds of thousands of tonnes of U.S. sorghum bound for China after Beijing announced hefty anti-dumping deposits on the grain in mid-April, part of a simmering trade dispute between the world's two largest economies.Sorghum is mainly used in livestock feed and the fiery Chinese liquor baijiu.U.S. officials had already flagged sales of U.S. sorghum to Spainā¦
Ships Carrying US Sorghum U-turn after China Tariffs
Several ships carrying cargoes of sorghum from the United States to China have changed course since Beijing slapped hefty anti-dumping deposits on U.S. imports of the grain, trade sources and a Reuters analysis of export and shipping data showed.Sorghum is a niche animal feed and a tiny slice of the billions of dollars in exports at stake in the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies, which threatens to disrupt the flow of everything from steel to electronics.The supply-chain pain felt by sorghum suppliers on the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans underscores how quickly the mounting trade tensions between the U.S.
Grain Deliveries to China Hit Snag: North P&I Club
A number of claims and disputes have arisen where cargoes of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) originating from the United States have been rejected by Chinese receivers. The cargoes were rejected on the basis of color. If the color of the DDGS is dark, the receiver may look to reject it. Incidents of this type were first reported in October 2015 but they continue to occur and it is apparent that a number of DDGS shipments have been affected. DDGS is used as animal feed and is a by-product of ethanol production.
China Issues New Rules on US DDG Imports
China's Import Inspection Authority, AQSIQ, is now requiring U.S. distiller's dried grains imports to be officially certified free of the MIR 162 GMO trait, the U.S. Grains Council, an export trade group, said in a letter emailed to Reuters by a trade source. The new requirement is effective immediately, the letter said. All DDGs shipments departing from July 24 that do not meet the certification requirement will be rejected, the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) said in a note to members, emailed to Reuters by another trade source. The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) added it would have to "discontinue its role as the agent for U.S.
