SCFI (Shanghai Containerized Freight Index)
The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) is a widely used freight index that reflects changes in spot container freight rates for exports originating from Shanghai, China.
Published by the Shanghai Shipping Exchange, the SCFI consists of a composite index and route-specific freight rates or indices covering 15 major trade routes from Shanghai. It is generally released on Fridays at 3:00 p.m. Beijing time. The release schedule may be adjusted for public holidays.
Shanghai Shipping Exchange – SCFIThe original SCFI was published from December 7, 2005. The current version of the SCFI was officially launched on October 16, 2009, replacing the previous index.
The composite SCFI uses October 16, 2009, as its base date, with the index level on that date set at 1,000 points. Route-specific freight rates are calculated using information provided by participating liner shipping companies and shipper and freight-forwarding companies.
Most route-specific freight rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per twenty-foot equivalent unit (USD/TEU), while the U.S. West Coast and U.S. East Coast rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per forty-foot equivalent unit (USD/FEU). The composite SCFI is expressed in index points.
Because the SCFI focuses on exports originating from Shanghai, it does not directly represent freight rates for shipments originating from ports in other countries. Although the SCFI includes routes from Shanghai to Korea and Japan, it does not measure export freight rates originating from Korean or Japanese ports.
In Korea, the Korea Ocean Business Corporation publishes the KOBC Container Composite Index (KCCI), which consists of a composite index and 13 route-specific freight indices. It is released every Monday at 2:00 p.m. Korea Standard Time and reflects spot container freight-rate trends for exports loaded at the Port of Busan.
Korea Ocean Business Corporation – KCCI
