Grain and Agri Cargo Shipping
Grain and other agricultural cargoes travel in bulk on dry bulk ships. Here is how a ship is usually chartered for grain.
Cargoes in this group
Wheat, corn (maize), barley, rice, soybeans and other oilseeds, sugar, and fertilizers, which move on the same ships.
Which ships carry grain
Bulk carriers carry most grain cargoes. Smaller parcels go on handysize and handymax ships, larger ones on supramax, panamax and bigger ships. Some general cargo and multipurpose ships also take bagged or smaller grain cargoes.
How a grain charter is arranged
Grain is usually fixed on a voyage charter with freight per tonne, a laycan, and agreed loading and discharging rates. Because crop timing matters, the laycan is normally tight.
What to put in your request
The cargo and quantity, whether it is a full or part cargo, loading and discharging ports, the laycan, and the ship size you can accept.
Clean holds and inspection
Grain needs clean, dry holds free of insects, rust scale and smell. Before loading, an inspector checks the holds and the ship may need to clean again. Importing countries often ask for a fumigation certificate and a phytosanitary certificate. Write these requirements in your request, because they affect the ship you can use.
Main trades and seasons
The main flows are wheat and corn from the Black Sea, the Americas, Europe and Australia to Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and soybeans from Brazil and the United States to China. See the guides to Black Sea grain and Argentina grain.
Search ships for your grain cargo
Shipfixing connects charterers and ship operators. We scan for suitable ships. Voyage requests for ships below 10,000 DWT need no signup and no membership.
Related guides
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