Argentina port protest delays at least 10 ships waiting to load grains (updated)

Bunge Global SA

21/04/2026 18:33

Adds detail throughout

By Maximilian Heath

BUENOS AIRES, April 21 (Reuters) - At least 10 vessels were delayed in loading grains on Tuesday at Argentina's Quequen port as truckers demanding higher freight rates block access to the terminal, a source at the port said.

"No trucks are entering with grain, we are completely paralyzed," the source told Reuters.

The protest is being staged by truck drivers camped along a road leading to the port, where they are preventing grain trucks from passing while negotiating tariff increases with grain storage firms and farm producer groups, the source said.

Quequen, in the south of Buenos Aires province, loaded 2.4 million metric tons of soybeans in 2025, equal to 20% of the oilseed exported by Argentina last year.

Major exporters including Bunge BG.N, Cofco 1610.HK and local cooperative ACA operate at the port.

In Argentina, more than 80% of grain shipments to the country's ports are transported by truck.

The action also temporarily affected Bahia Blanca port. On Monday, the Argentine ports chamber said in a statement that the truckers' protest had blocked exports worth an estimated $450 million.

Ports in the Rosario area, which ship more than 85% of Argentina's grain exports and nearly all of its soy oil and soymeal exports, were operating normally.

 (Reporting by Maximilian Heath; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Sarah Morland)

 ((Brendan.O'Boyle@thomsonreuters.com; +52 56 2564 7977))