The Brazilian port of Rio Grande has increased its draught to 12.8 metres, an increase of 0.6 metres. The first vessel to call
was able to take on 17,300 tonnes of soya, whereas previously, because the draught restrictions, it was limited to 13,800
tonnes. Later this year, dredging should allow the draught is to be deepened to 14 metres. However, in advance of the entire port being dredged to this debt, the dry bulk terminals asked the port authority to allow larger ships to dock so that they could better manage the record harvest of soya. Prior to the recent draught improvement, it cost $35 per tonne to ship soya to China; afterwards, this dropped to $33. Ships that could handle 57,000 tonnes of soya can now load to around 60,000 tonnes.
 
BC