Chinese purchases of US soybeans have established loading schedules stretching from autumn into early 2027, with bookings covering both Gulf Coast and Pacific Northwest export terminals. Hellenic Shipping News reported USDA data showing China’s commitments for the 2026/27 marketing year at 9.858 million tonnes as of 10 September, comprising cargoes already shipped and sales awaiting shipment.
Purchases disclosed on 10 September amounted to approximately 1 million tonnes, with Sinograin booking US Gulf cargoes for shipment to China between December 2026 and February 2027. Earlier purchases reported on 3 August covered at least eight Gulf cargoes and six from the Pacific Northwest for October–November shipment. Those schedules place the associated vessel employment in the fourth quarter and early next year, beyond the September rebound in departures described by the outlet.
Further buying by private Chinese crushers remains constrained. According to Hellenic Shipping News, an additional 10% tariff and poor processing margins have kept those buyers largely away from US supplies. Assessments reported in early September suggested that soybeans shipped between October and January would be loss-making even without the extra duty, leaving limited scope for tariff relief alone to stimulate additional private purchases.
The cargo programme comes against a softer market for larger bulk carriers. The Baltic Dry Index ended at 3,370 points, down 137 over the week despite a 34-point daily gain. The Panamax index declined 156 points to 2,251, while its five-route timecharter average lost $1,400 to $20,262 a day. Grain voyage rates also eased: US Gulf–Qingdao fell $0.34 to $75.95 a tonne and Santos–Qingdao dropped $0.72 to $56.53 a tonne.
Smaller geared vessels moved in the opposite direction for a second week. The Supramax index gained 48 points to 1,767, with its 11-route average increasing $604 to $22,332 a day. Handysize also added 48 points, reaching 988, while its seven-route average rose $851 to $17,776 a day. The strongest individual route increase was in the US Gulf Handysize market, where earnings climbed $5,221 to $24,000 a day, Hellenic Shipping News reported.