Soya beans are the largest single agricultural bulk cargo carried by sea, with global seaborne trade of approximately 165 to 180 million tonnes per year. The cargo is principally moved from Brazil, the United States, and Argentina to China, the European Union, Southeast Asia, and Mexico, where it is crushed for soya oil (food and biofuel) and soya meal (animal feed). Soya beans are regulated under both the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Grain in Bulk (the International Grain Code) and the IMSBC Code under the same framework as wheat and maize.
Cargo properties
Soya beans are spherical to oval seeds with bulk density of approximately 0.71 to 0.75 tonnes per cubic metre, with stowage factor of approximately 1.35 to 1.4 cubic metres per tonne. Moisture content at loading is typically 11 to 13 per cent. The cargo is non-toxic, non-flammable, and not classified as a hazardous chemical cargo, but presents specific carriage hazards related to grain shifting, self-heating from elevated moisture, insect infestation, oil rancidity over long voyages, and dust explosion risk during handling.
Major routes
Soya bean seaborne trade flows include:
- Brazil to China: the dominant trade lane, accounting for approximately 50 per cent of global soya bean trade. Brazilian export through Santos, Paranaguá, Rio Grande, and Itaqui.
- United States to China and Mexico: significant trade, subject to substantial year-on-year variation driven by trade policy. US Gulf and Pacific Northwest export.
- Argentina to global markets: principally as soya products (oil, meal) rather than whole beans, but significant whole-bean export through Rosario.
- Paraguay to Argentina and global markets: South American transit trade.
China is the dominant single importer, accounting for approximately 60 per cent of global soya bean seaborne trade, with imports principally feeding the world’s largest pork industry through soya meal animal feed.
Carriage requirements
Bulk soya bean shipments follow the same carriage framework as wheat and maize:
- International Grain Code stability calculations and trimming.
- IMSBC Group C handling provisions.
- Pre-loading moisture content certification.
- Fumigation procedures where applicable.
A specific concern for soya bean carriage on long voyages (for example Brazil to China, typically 35 to 45 days) is rancidity from oil oxidation in the bean, which can affect the quality of the resulting oil after crushing. Proper hold ventilation and avoidance of moisture ingress during voyage are critical to product quality.