01What the index measures
Charter-rate index for container ships. Indicator of the time-charter market.
Freight-market indices deliver orientation in an otherwise opaque market. They help procurement, sales and finance teams benchmark prices, index contracts and spot trends early.
02Methodology
Published weekly. Covers 7 vessel sizes (700–8,500 TEU).
Every freight-market index has its peculiarities. Never blindly compare two indices — check the data basis (spot vs. contract, actual transactions vs. quotes), weighting and timeliness to draw meaningful conclusions. For spot indices volatility is key: high swings signal capacity crunches or disruptions.
03Interpretation and use
Use the index as a benchmark in tenders, for rate-procurement strategies, as the basis for index-linked contracts and as a leading indicator of capacity or demand shifts. Combine with bunker prices, capacity reports, order-book data and political risk for a holistic view.
In budget planning index-based rate forecasts significantly improve accuracy. Many shippers now run hybrid contracts: a fixed baseline plus an index-linked add-on that fairly splits risk between shipper and carrier.