Platts launches Baltic-WCI Aframax, Black Sea-WCI Suezmax dirty tanker assessments Aug 1

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, has launched two daily dirty tanker freight assessments, a 100,000-mt Aframax Baltic-West Coast India assessment and a 140,000-mt Suezmax Black Sea-West Coast India assessment, effective Aug. 1, 2025.

The assessments were first proposed in a subscriber note on May 23 here .

Following market feedback, Platts has recognized a need for greater transparency in the freight rate for Aframax and Suezmax tankers transporting crude from Russia to India, driven by increased activity levels and rate volatility in the spot market.

Quantitative data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea shows that India was the main importer of Russian-origin seaborne crude shipments in 2023 and 2024, accounting for 1.5 million b/d, or 44%, of total Russian-origin seaborne crude exports, and 1.6 million b/d, or 47%, of total Russian-origin seaborne crude exports, respectively. During this period, loadings in the Baltic Sea accounted for 69%, or 1.1 million b/d, of all Russian-origin seaborne crude exports to India, while the Black Sea accounted for 16%, or 250,000 b/d.

The basis loadport for Baltic-West Coast India 100 kt is Primorsk, while the basis loadport for Black Sea-West Coast India 140 kt is Novorossiisk.

The new assessments are as follows:

The new dirty tanker freight assessments reflect spot values for Aframax and Suezmax tankers carrying crude cargo in lump-sum values and $/mt.

The assessments are published at the 16:30 London close and follow the London publishing schedule.

The assessments are published in the Platts Dirty Tankerwire, Platts Dirty Tankerwire Monthly, and on the Platts Shipping Alert and Platts Tanker Alert pages.

Please send any feedback or questions to shipping@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

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