Intercontinental Exchange has launched new freight derivatives, including the first tanker freight futures on the TD34 route from the Gulf of Oman to China. The contracts are cash-settled based on Baltic Exchange assessments to help market participants hedge freight risk amid shipping disruptions. Average daily trading volume across ICE freight markets grew 33 percent year-to-date.
Daily earnings for Very Large Crude Carriers on the Arabian Gulf to China route exceeded $1.2 million per day in late September 2026. According to the Baltic Exchange, round-trip earnings for shipments from Ras Tanura to Ningbo hit $1,235,414 a day amid shipping bottlenecks near the Strait of Hormuz. LSEG data showed spot rates reached an absolute high of $1.27 million on September 21.
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