<article><p class="lead">Storms and flooding in Australia's New South Wales (NSW) state interrupted canola and wheat loading last week at the key grain export ports of Newcastle and Port Kembla, while continuing to disrupt rail deliveries, as demand for the country's grains grows because of the conflict in Ukraine. </p><p>Grain loading terminals across Australia are booked out for several months ahead. Some ports and grain logistics companies are looking to book extra shipping slots. But extreme weather on the east coast and congestion on the west coast has left few opportunities to meet the <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2309964">additional demand for Australian grains</a>. </p><p>Heavy rainfall across NSW has caused delays and <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2311286">damage to rail lines</a> to Port Kembla, which is one of the largest bulk grain export terminals in NSW. The network between Moss Vale to Unanderra also remains closed affecting train movements to Port Kembla. Shipments had already been delayed by port restrictions because of the weather and further delays are expected following damage to the rail lines, which will not be fixed before 16 March. Disruptions at the port of Newcastle are more minimal, with short delays in loading shipments caused by heavy rainfall and heavy seas. </p><p>The Brisbane terminals in Queensland state have resumed operations after being closed on 28 February because of flooding but are still restricted, slowing the flow of sorghum for bulk and containerised exports. </p><p>GrainCorp's port terminals at Brisbane, Newcastle, Port Kembla, Geelong and Portland on the east coast of Australia have no spare shipping capacity until the new season begins in October. Queensland's Mackay terminals has 85,000t available from April until the first half of June, while the Gladstone port terminal has 80,000t available from the first half of May through to the second half of September. </p><p>Western Australian grain logistics firm CBH has no spare shipping allocations at the Geraldton, Kwinana, Albany and Esperance ports before October, despite it <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2308976">offering an additional 540,000t of shipping capacity</a> and Covid-19 restrictions on ship crews easing. </p><p>South Australian Grain Logistics firm Viterra has no available capacity until July at its Port Adelaide facilities, while it has just 15,000t available to ship out of a capacity of 270,000 t/month. Availability picks up from August and September where spare tonnage ranges from 35,000t to 98,000t. </p><p class="bylines">By Brandon Gallagher</p></article>
