(PortMetroVancouver.com)

Baltic Dry Index at four-month lows

Declining demand seen from China

MarketsFarm — Ocean freight rates have fallen off of their highs of the past year over the course of the past month, but remain well above the lows hit in the spring when global markets first started reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), a major indicator of shipping rates, has moved

A freighter is loaded with grain from a terminal at Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet. (Maxvis/iStock/Getty Images)

Ocean freight rate index moving higher

MarketsFarm — Ocean freight rates have shown steady gains over the past month, rising to some of their highest levels of 2020 as world economies show signs of recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), a major indicator of shipping rates, has moved higher for 12 straight sessions, hitting 973 points on


Loading grain on a vessel at a Burrard Inlet terminal. (Maxvis/iStock/Getty Images)

Ocean freight rates trending lower

MarketsFarm — The Baltic Dry Index has fallen sharply over the past four months, dropping below 1,000 points to start the New Year. A slowdown in iron-ore activity, as high prices have had Chinese mills buying up domestic inventories rather than importing from overseas, accounted for much of the general weakness in the freight sector,


(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canadian canola could make its way into Australia

CNS Canada — A potential shortage of canola on Australia’s east coast has the oilseed industry there musing about the potential of importing Canadian canola to keep processing plants going. A story Tuesday on the Australian website Farm Online quoted Australian Oilseeds Federation CEO Nick Goddard as explaining the potential for Canadian canola to make



(PortSeattle.org)

Baltic Dry Index hits two-year highs

CNS Canada — Ocean freight rates are trending higher, with the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) hitting its highest level of the past two years on Tuesday. The BDI, compiled daily by the London-based Baltic Exchange, provides an assessment of the price of moving major raw materials by sea, including grain. It was quoted Tuesday at