Heavy rains in state of Maranhão, Brazil have put pressure on the shipment of iron ore and soybeans from Brazil. March is one of the wettest months of the year in Maranhão. This year was the second-wettest March in 15 years, with precipitation of more than two-thirds of a metre.
Last week the region reported a 70-vessel queue. An accident at the start of the year with one of the eight conveyors belt that load the iron to the ships made previous productivity projections difficult to achieve, or indeed even approach.