Extreme cold weather conditions, alongside an earlier flood of imports ahead of now-delayed tariffs, are causing significant rail and barge congestion in the midwest including Chicago. Shipments into the region climbed 8.7% year over year in 4Q 2018, including a 14.1% increase from China. Major industrial importers to the region are led by commodities producers. Those include forestry products maker UPM Kymmene – whose seaborne imports shipped onward rose 44.0% – as well as fertilizer maker Yara and steel producer ThyssenKrupp. The latter saw a decline in shipments due to steel tariffs a...