LONDON, Sept. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ION Commodities, a global leader in energy and commodity management solutions, is relaunching Softmar as a SaaS platform, expanding beyond chartering and operations to address the new realities of freight management.
Volatility, sanctions, and tougher emissions and regulatory rules are redefining freight markets. Rate swings are squeezing shipowners’ margins, while traders grapple with rising costs and compliance obligations. This unpredictability has amplified freight’s role, making it one of the most critical variables in global commodity supply chains. Firms relying on spreadsheets, ERP systems, or static models often underestimate their exposure — leaving them vulnerable to losses and compliance failures.
Softmar addresses these challenges by unifying chartering, voyage management, and freight risk management across dry bulk, liquids, and gas commodities in a single solution. A key enhancement is the introduction of Profit-at-Risk (PaR) analytics, designed specifically for illiquid freight markets to provide a more accurate, forward-looking view of freight exposure. The enhanced Softmar solution also adds carbon emissions tracking, enabling companies to monitor and manage environmental costs. Softmar can integrate freight activity with ION’s Commodity Trading and Risk Management (CTRM) solutions, ensuring end-to-end supply chain visibility resulting in improved decision making and better risk control.
Softmar continues to support chartering and vessel operations — but now goes further to meet the demands of today’s market. Teams can estimate freight rates quickly and run scenarios; capture contract optionality (including laytime terms and risk parameters); quantify risk across physical and derivatives freight with advanced mark-to-market analytics; manage voyages via a mobile-ready, multilingual interface; and integrate with ERPs and other systems. By consolidating operations and risk oversight in a single platform, firms can make better trading decisions, manage emissions exposure, protect margins, and ensure compliance.
“Softmar’s relaunch coincides with a fundamental shift in how freight must now be managed,” said Sunil Biswas, CEO at ION Corporates. “Freight management is no longer just about fixing vessels or managing risk in isolation. It now impacts profitability, compliance, and overall business performance. Softmar gives companies the clarity and control they need to protect margins and remain competitive in an increasingly complex market.”
About ION
ION provides mission-critical trading and workflow automation software, high-value analytics and insights, and strategic consulting to financial institutions, central banks, governments, and corporate organizations. Our solutions and services simplify complex processes, boost efficiency, and enable better decision-making. We build long-term partnerships with our clients, helping transform their businesses for sustained success through continuous innovation. For more information, visit https://iongroup.com/.
About ION Commodities
ION Commodities delivers data-driven energy and commodities trading and risk management solutions across the supply chain. Our scalable ETRM and CTRM solutions equip clients with real-time risk analytics and reporting, minimize supply chain risks, automate critical business processes, and make faster, more informed decisions. We provide full support and transparency for procurement, supply, and trading to a global community of over 1,200 clients. For more information, visit https://iongroup.com/commodities/.
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SOURCE ION
