Platts launches New Orleans to US Midwest aluminum freight assessment

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, has launched a new assessment reflecting the cost of freight and logistics for transporting aluminum from the Port of New Orleans to the US Midwest, effective July 1, 2025.

The new Platts New Orleans to US Midwest aluminum freight assessment (MMQDU00) is being launched in response to requests for greater transparency regarding freight and logistics costs to move duty-unpaid aluminum imports to average-freight Midwest consumer locations, particularly as traditional import flows and commerce have been impacted by evolving US trade policy and the implementation of tariffs.

The new assessment, reflecting typical cargoes of 100-1,000 mt for delivery within 7-30 days, is published in cents/lb.

The assessment reflects the cost of freight, via truck, to deliver aluminum imports that have arrived in New Orleans on a CIF duty-unpaid basis to the same average-freight US Midwest consumer locations reflected in Platts Midwest US Aluminum Transaction Premium, including Lafayette and Warrick, Indiana; Berea, Russellville and Shelbyville, Kentucky; St. Louis, Missouri; Carthage, Huntington and New Johnsonville, Tennessee; Manitowoc, Wisconsin; and Ravenswood, West Virginia.

Rail delivery is acceptable if the delivery timeframe is within the specified 7-30 day window and will be normalized to the standard truck delivery.

Locations associated with "Extra" or "Close" freight costs will be normalized to "Average" based on differential values surveyed from market participants.

Full specifications are as follows:

Market information on a CIF Mobile or CIF Houston basis will also be considered for the assessment after normalization to a CIF New Orleans basis.

The New Orleans to US Midwest aluminum freight assessment, as well as related monthly averages and $/mt conversions, appear in Metals Daily and Metals Week , on the PMA413 and MTL413 fixed pages, and in the Platts pricing database.

Further information on Platts aluminum assessments can be found here.

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