Greater transparency for shipping markets as rates soar on Iran crisis

HOUSTON, March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global energy and commodity price reporting agency Argus has launched a composite Argus Crude Tanker Index (ACTI) that distils the cost shippers pay to deliver crude oil to refineries across the globe into a single “dollars per barrel” number.

The ACTI is compiled from 15 of the world’s most important trade routes for crude grades which include the US’ WTI, Brazil’s Tupi, Russia’s Urals, Iraq’s Basrah Medium, Oman, Nigeria’s Qua Iboe, and Canada’s AWB.

An oil shipping landscape thrown into turmoil by rising geopolitical conflict has driven up volatility in the freight rates paid to charter the thousands of tankers carrying these and other crude grades around the world every day, creating a need for greater freight price transparency.

Argus Media chairman and chief executive Adrian Binks said: “The cost of shipping has become a global problem that has charterers needing new ways to manage risk. We are pleased therefore to offer a global crude freight index which brings added transparency for our customers — from established producers such as those in the Middle East or the Black Sea, to newer entrants in the Americas.”

The composite nature of the index allows the ACTI to capture dozens of daily single-voyage very-large crude carrier (VLCC), Suezmax and Aframax chartering deals between crude traders and shipping operators.

The ACTI, as well as three vessel segment-specific $/bl indexes — the VLCC ACTI, Suezmax ACTI, and Aframax ACTI — are published in Argus Tanker Freight.

Disrupted traffic at the strait of Hormuz drives crude tanker rates to record highs

Argus contact information

London: Seana Lanigan
+44 20 7780 4200
Email Seana

Houston: Elizabeth Frye
+1 713 968 0000
Email Elizabeth

Singapore: Tomoko Hashimoto
+65 6496 9960
Email Tomoko

About Argus Media

Argus is the leading independent provider of market intelligence to the global energy and commodity markets. We offer essential price assessments, news, analytics, consulting services, data science tools and industry conferences to illuminate complex and opaque commodity markets.

Headquartered in London with nearly 1,500 staff, Argus is an independent media organisation with 30 offices in the world’s principal commodity trading hubs.

Companies, trading firms and governments in 160 countries around the world trust Argus data to make decisions, analyse situations, manage risk, facilitate trading and for long-term planning. Argus prices are used as trusted benchmarks around the world for pricing transportation, commodities and energy.

Founded in 1970, Argus remains a privately held UK-registered company owned by employee shareholders and global growth equity firm General Atlantic.

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