Argentina pilots strike halts grain exports from key ports

A three‑day strike by harbor pilots in Argentina stopped cargo handling at the country's main export terminals, including Buenos Aires, Rosario, Bahía Blanca, Campana and Dock Sud. More than 100 vessels were forced to wait, and an estimated three million tonnes of wheat, soy, corn and fuel could not be shipped.

The stoppage added up to US$100,000 per ship per day in costs and delayed deliveries, raising freight, storage and financing expenses. While the interruption is not expected to permanently reduce global grain supplies, it temporarily tightened the market, prompting some buyers to turn to Brazil or the United States and providing short‑term support to grain prices. Some ships were rerouted to Montevideo in Uruguay or southern Brazilian ports, but the overall impact on the international grain trade is expected to last until normal operations resume.