04 Jan 2021 | 16:26 UTC — New York

Platts to discontinue benzene FOB Rotterdam assessment March 31, 2021

Following market feedback, S&P Global Platts will discontinue its benzene FOB Rotterdam daily assessment effective March 31, 2021.

Platts first proposed discontinuing the assessment in a subscriber note published Nov. 13: https://bit.ly/38fyRT1

Platts has observed a lack of regular European export flows. Further feedback from the market indicates that a large proportion of ex-European trade reflects a CIF-ARA pricing basis or a delivered-cost basis to final destination.

Platts will continue to publish its existing benzene CIF ARA 5-30 day and month 1 to month 5 assessments.

Platts opened a formal consultation into the FOB Rotterdam assessment on Sept. 22, in a subscriber note available here: https://bit.ly/37t8aLo

The consultation period was subsequently extended to Oct. 23, 2020.

The following assessments will be affected by the discontinuation:

Assessment name, code

Benzene FOB Rotterdam, PHAAJ00

Benzene FOB Rotterdam weekly average, PHAVP04

Benzene FOB Rotterdam monthly average, PHBFJ03

The assessments are published in Europe & Americas Petrochemicalscan, on Platts Petrochemical Alert fixed pages 233, 317, 320, 432, and 540, and in the Platts price database under the codes above.

Platts invites feedback to petchems@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing. Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available to the public upon request.