The dramatic growth in the shipment of all types of grain is illustrated by USDA export data showing 2 million metric tons of grain shipped by container in 2006; double the level in 2005 (see chart). Buyers are finding that containers can provide some tangible benefits in terms of sourcing precise smaller shipments to meet specific needs; traceability and identity preservation opportunities; as well as faster and more consistent delivery in many cases.
Driven mostly by soybeans, the growth in containers to source grain is spreading rapidly to wheat. Buyers are increasingly inquiring and pursuing the container option to source the wheat they need. Wheat shipments by container have also risen sharply the last three years reaching just over 100,000 metric tons in 2006 (see chart - not available on this website). Typically, 20 metric tons are loaded in each twenty-foot container. Wheat can be loaded into containers inland at country elevators or inland transload centers for shipment to export facilities.
Another option is to ship the grain by truck or rail to transload facilities at the coast where it is transferred into containers and then placed on board ocean vessels. The Puget Sound ports of Tacoma and Seattle have emerged as the dominant point of export for containerized grain (see chart - not available on this website).
In order to help facilitate this new shipping option the Washington Wheat Commission (WWC) developed an informational brochure with resources for purchasing and shipping wheat by container. The brochure is available from the WWC office or can be accessed by going to www.wawheat.com.
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