Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE)

What Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE) does

Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE) is a government-affiliated shipping exchange organization jointly established by China's Ministry of Transport and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, headquartered in Shanghai with a secondary office at No.706 Heng Shan Road. It functions as the designated compiler and publisher of China's official shipping freight indices and as the regulatory filing channel for international shipping operators serving Chinese ports.

The core product is a portfolio of more than 20 specialized freight indices, including the flagship Shanghai (Export) Containerized Freight Index (SCFI, issued weekly since 2009), the China (Export) Containerized Freight Index (CCFI), the settlement-based SCFIS, the China Coastal Bulk Freight Index (CBFI) and its sub-indices for coal (CBCFI), metallic ore (CBOFI), and grain (CBGFI), the China Import Dry Bulk Freight Index (CDFI), the China Import Crude Oil Tanker Freight Index (CTFI), the Global Carrier Schedule Performance Index (GCSPI), the China Crew's Remuneration Index (CCRI), and a family of Belt and Road indices (BRSTI, BRTVI, BRCVI, SRFI, SRFTI). Methodology is IOSCO-compliant, validated annually by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, and SSE publishes weekly market reports on China's export container market, regulatory bulletins, and journals. Distribution is primarily through the official website (en.sse.net.cn) with self-serve subscription access.

Revenue mechanics combine subscription-based access to indices and market reports, mandatory freight rate filing fees for international container lines, NVOCCs, and cross-straits container lines, shipping capacity filing fees, and bulletin/journal subscriptions. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; subscribers and filers contact dedicated inbox channels ([email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]). Customer segments consist of shipping industry participants — international container shipping companies (primary), NVOCCs and freight forwarders, cross-straits container lines, and shipping industry analysts/traders using SSE benchmarks for derivatives and forecasting.

Name

Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE)

Legal name

Shanghai Shipping Exchange Institute (Prep.)

Website

https://en.sse.net.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE) is a government-affiliated shipping exchange that compiles and publishes China's official freight indices — including SCFI, CCFI, SCFIS, CBFI, and CTFI — and provides mandatory freight rate filing services for international container lines, NVOCCs, and cross-straits container lines serving Chinese ports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Market Data Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Commodity Contracts Brokers & Dealers (6221), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Freight / Shipping Derivatives Exchanges (FSAFABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Freight & Shipping Commodities Exchanges (Dry Bulk, Tanker Freight) (FSAFAMAF), Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL) (TLADAMAF)

Keywords

• Shipping freight indices
• Containerized freight rates
• Dry bulk shipping
• Freight rate filing
• Maritime market data

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Shipping Index Subscription Services: Subscription-based access to freight index data including SCFI, CCFI, CBFI and other specialized indices. Provides real-time and historical index data to shipping industry participants.
2. Freight Rate Filing Services: Filing services for international container lines, NVOCCs, and cross-straits container lines. Mandatory regulatory filing of freight rates and bill of lading information.
3. Shipping Capacity Filing: Filing and registration services for shipping capacity and vessel scheduling information for international shipping lines.
4. Market Report Publications: Weekly market reports on China's export container shipping market, including freight rate trends and geopolitical analysis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE) is a state-backed maritime exchange that publishes authoritative Chinese shipping freight indices (containerized, dry bulk, tanker, and specialized trade routes) and provides mandatory freight rate filing services and weekly market reports to the shipping industry. The exchange operates as the official benchmark publisher referenced in numerous service contracts and derivatives.

Product overview

Shanghai Shipping Exchange operates as a comprehensive shipping market information platform offering multiple freight indices covering container, bulk, tanker, and specialized trade routes. The core products include SCFI and CCFI for export containers, SCFIS for settlement-based rates, CBFI and its sub-indices (CBCFI, CBOFI, CBGFI) for coastal bulk cargo, CDFI/FDI for dry bulk imports, CTFI for crude oil tankers, CICFI for import containers, SEAFI for Southeast Asia, and Belt & Road initiative indices (BRSTI, BRTVI, BRCVI, SRFI). Supporting services include weekly market reports, freight rate filing for regulatory compliance, and an index-linked contract template for market participants. The platform serves international shipping companies, freight traders, and derivative market participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI)
• China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI)
• Shanghai Containerized Freight Index Service (SCFIS)
• China Bulk Freight Index (CBFI) and sub-indices
• Specialized Trade Freight Indices
• Weekly Market Reports
• Freight Rate Filing Service

Quantifiable outcome

• SCFI index rose to 1,890.77 points, up 1.9% from previous period

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP (DTTC)coreOthersDTTC provides independent assurance reports on the IOSCO Principles compliance for Shanghai (Export) Containerized Freight Index based on Settled Rates (EUR Service). Annual compliance reports cover periods such as April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025 and April 1, 2025 - March 31, 2026, validating the integrity and reliability of SSE's index methodologies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Baltic Exchange: The Baltic Exchange is the leading global source of maritime freight indices (Baltic Dry Index, Baltic Capesize Index) and freight derivatives settlement, acquired by Singapore Exchange in 2016. It is the most direct comparable to SSE as both operate authoritative freight benchmark indices that anchor global shipping contracts and derivatives.
• Drewry Shipping Consultants: Drewry is a London-based maritime research and consulting firm publishing freight rate indices, supply/demand forecasts, and shipping market reports to institutional clients. Comparable to SSE as both serve as authoritative maritime data/benchmark publishers and produce recurring indices referenced in industry contracts and reports.
• Clarksons Research: Clarksons Research is the research arm of Clarkson PLC, providing shipping intelligence, market analysis, and data services (including the Shipping Intelligence Network and ClarkSea Index) to shipping companies, financiers, and traders. It is comparable to SSE as both monetize proprietary shipping market data and indices as subscription products serving institutional shipping participants.

Others

• Singapore Exchange (SGX): SGX is a multi-asset exchange that owns the Baltic Exchange and lists freight derivatives (including container freight and dry bulk futures). It is comparable to SSE as SGX hosts derivatives markets whose settlement relies on indices published by exchanges like the Baltic Exchange, mirroring SSE's relationship with Chinese freight derivatives venues.

Broad incumbents

• Lloyd's Register: Lloyd's Register is a global maritime classification society that also provides maritime data, port state control information, and vessel performance analytics to shipping industry participants. Comparable to SSE as both are long-established maritime information/data providers whose authoritative outputs are embedded in regulatory and commercial shipping workflows.
• Intercontinental Exchange (ICE): ICE operates global commodity and freight derivatives exchanges, including Baltic freight futures, and acquired the Baltic Exchange in 2016. It is comparable to SSE as ICE Futures Europe hosts derivatives settlement on Baltic freight indices while SSE's SCFIS serves the same role for China-focused container freight derivatives.
• S&P Global Platts: Platts, a division of S&P Global, is the dominant global commodity price reporting agency covering energy, metals, and (partially) freight benchmarks. It is comparable to SSE as both compile proprietary market-reference indices under recognized methodologies (Platts's IMO 2020 compliance work parallels SSE's IOSCO-compliant methodology) for use in physical and derivatives markets.

Emerging players

• Argus Media: Argus is an independent commodity price reporting agency covering freight (Argus Freight) and tanker/wet bulk benchmarks through methodologies assessed against IOSCO principles. It is comparable to SSE as both serve as authoritative price-reporting bodies whose indices are referenced in commodity and freight contracts globally.
• Kpler: Kpler provides commodity and freight tracking data via satellite AIS and proprietary analytics for trade flows, tanker monitoring, and freight indices. It is comparable to SSE as an emerging data-first freight intelligence provider whose product overlap (freight benchmarks, trade flow analytics) directly threatens traditional index publishers.

Regional players

• China Merchants Group (Shipping Division): China Merchants operates significant shipping and port assets and participates in Chinese maritime data initiatives. Comparable to SSE as a state-affiliated Chinese maritime player operating in the same regulatory/data ecosystem where SSE holds the freight index compilation mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE)