Agricultural dry bulk moving by ship totalled 716.5 million tonnes in 2025, a new record high, according to Piraeus-based Ursa Shipbrokers.
The well-established Greek company said the total is based on load dates and covers all cargoes and bulk carrier vessels and represents a one per cent year-on-year increase over the 711.5 million tonnes recorded for 2024. A wide-range of cargoes are included in the analysis, including barley, corn and wheat plus soybeans, soybean meal, sugar and canola, and across all major loading and discharge geographic regions.
Admittedly, the one percent increase only totalled five million tonnes and represents a very modest improvement but it maintains the recent growth trend that has seen continued year-on-year increases since 2022.
Ursa also highlights that 2025 was a year of two halves, with the year starting with weak activity. Total agricultural loadings were down by around 6% year-on-year in the January to June 2025 period, compared to H1 2024, but there was a strong rebound from the start of July. For H2 2025 an increase of 7% year-on-year was recorded, also representing an 8% improvement over the first six months of 2025. This recovery helped support a stronger freight environment after the end of June 2025, with the geared and Panamax segments in particular benefitting.
