The Parana River in Argentina has reopened after the removal of the grounded ship Clara Insignia, loaded with wheat, which had blocked the channel near the Rosario grains port hub.
According to Reuters, navigation though the Parana River has reopened, allowing ships to travel up the Parana to the Rosario port terminals, but with caution. The vessel grounding on February 17, prompted authorities to instruct ships to load less grain temporarily while assessing the damage to the channel.
The boat was freed late on Monday, but navigation remained closed earlier on Tuesday while checks were made on the shipping channel.
As Reuters reminds, Argentina, a significant exporter of processed soybeans, corn, and wheat, relies heavily on the Parana River for transportation, with 80% of farm produce passing through the waterway. Shipping traffic through the Parana is relatively light at this time of the year since transport of soybeans and corn mainly starts around April.
Argentina is typically a main grain exporter. However, in seasons when the harvest is deficient, it becomes necessary to import grains -particularly soya beans – for the local industrial production.
To remind, the 2022/23 harvest in Argentina was substantially affected by a historical dry season, estimated in 25 Mn MT compared to the 42 Mn harvested in previous season.
