Cargo vessels can load more corn and soybeans and reduce shipping costs due to dredging progress on the lower Mississippi River, according to the Soybean Transportation Coalition. The allowable depth for 150 miles of the Lower Mississippi River is now set at 48 feet, down from 45 feet previously.
Ultimately, the project calls for a 50 ft. channel up to Baton Rouge (river mile 232) from the Gulf of Mexico. There are 82 more miles of shipping channel dredging needed to complete the project. The project is estimated to take two to three years to finish due to the complexity of that section of the river, including pipelines that run under the river.
Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) research says when completed to the 50-foot level, the average vessel can increase loads by 500,000 bu. of soybeans or 21%, and shipping costs would drop 13 cents per bu. for soybeans. They estimate the completed dredging project would mean an additional $461 million for soybean farmers in 31 states.
