Importing US grain into Morocco has become more expensive after shipping costs rose by 4.1% over the past week. Shipping a 30,000-tonne cargo from US Gulf of Mexico ports to Morocco now costs $44.25 per tonne, up $1.75 from the previous week, according to the latest figures from the US Grains Council (USGC).
That pushes the estimated freight bill for one shipment to $1.3275 million, compared with $1.275 million a week earlier. The increase adds about $52,500 to the cost of a single voyage.
The figures are market estimates for shipments of grains, sorghum and soybeans. They do not show actual purchases by Moroccan importers or identify the ports involved.
Morocco remains one of the more expensive destinations in North Africa for US grain exports. Shipping costs are $8 per tonne higher than Algeria, where freight is estimated at $36.25 per tonne for a 50,000-tonne vessel. Egypt’s rate stands at $43.75 per tonne for ships carrying 55,000 to 60,000 tonnes, or 50 cents less than Morocco. The different vessel sizes mean the routes cannot be directly compared.
Freight rates increased across most global routes during the week. Shipping from the US Gulf to Japan rose to $69.50 per tonne for a 55,000-tonne cargo, while the route to China climbed to $68 per tonne for 65,000 tonnes.
The US Pacific Northwest remained the cheaper option for exports to Asia. Freight costs reached $36.50 per tonne to Japan and $34.50 per tonne to China, giving Pacific ports a $33.50-per-tonne advantage over the Gulf of Mexico.
Freight to Latin America stayed much lower. Rates stood at $24.50 per tonne to Veracruz in Mexico, $26 to northern Colombia, $27.50 for smaller Colombian cargoes and $40 to Ecuador. Shipping to Rotterdam cost $22.25 per tonne, up 25 cents from the previous week.
Brazil and Argentina also saw higher freight rates to China. Shipping from Brazil ranged between $50.75 and $56.75 per tonne, while cargoes from Rosario, Argentina, reached $53.75 per tonne. All routes increased by $1.25.
US yellow corn prices remained higher at Pacific ports than at Gulf ports. August offers stood at $218.29 per tonne from the Gulf of Mexico and $228.92 from the Pacific Northwest. September prices were $221.05 and $231.29, October $231.09 and $243.69, November $231.09 and $244.08, December $229.91 and $244.87, and January $233.65 and $245.85.
US sorghum loaded in Texas was priced at $223.02 per tonne for August, $225.38 for September and $235.81 for October.
Grain futures also moved higher on the Chicago Board of Trade. September corn rose 10 cents to 441.50 cents per bushel, December gained 12 cents to 464 cents, March 2027 climbed 12.25 cents to 479.50 cents, and May 2027 added 12 cents to 488.25 cents.
Soybean futures increased between 13.5 and 17.25 cents. August closed at 1,195 cents per bushel, September at 1,185.25 cents, November at 1,195 cents and January 2027 at 1,209.50 cents.
The wider shipping market also remained strong. The Baltic Dry Index, a benchmark for global shipping costs, rose 1% over the week to 2,929 points. That is 44% higher than a year ago.
Other shipping indexes also posted annual gains. The Baltic Capesize Index rose 52%, the Baltic Panamax Index 17%, the Baltic Supramax Index 29%, and the Baltic Handysize Index remained 35% higher than a year earlier despite a small weekly decline.
Average daily earnings for Panamax vessels reached $31,498 on the Atlantic-to-Far East route, $17,176 in the Pacific basin and $32,807 on the Gulf of Mexico-China or southern Japan route.
The benchmark freight rate from the Mississippi River to Qingdao increased to $68.03 per tonne, while the Santos-to-Qingdao route reached $50.76 per tonne.
Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a livestock feed made during ethanol production, were priced at $219 per tonne on barges in New Orleans, $239 free on board in the Gulf of Mexico, $246 by rail to the Pacific Northwest and $248 in California.
Container prices for DDGS reached $256 per tonne to Busan and Kaohsiung, $275 to Manila, $269 to Jakarta, $265 to Port Klang, $259 to Ho Chi Minh City, $262 to Yokohama, $263 to Laem Chabang, $260 to Shanghai, $359 to Chittagong and $291 to Yangon.
The US Grains Council is a non-profit organisation representing US grain producers and agribusinesses. It operates 10 international offices, runs programmes in more than 50 countries, and has an annual budget of more than $26 million.
