NYFI Index Governing Board
Unified Platform
Created by the industry. Built for what's next.
The NYSHEX Freight Indices are global benchmarks for containerized freight pricing: a true industry utility that provides the foundation for risk management, understanding market movements, and building financial resilience across global shipping.
Part of NYSHEX’s mission to unite the shipping industry through transparency, performance, and shared standards, NYFI is governed equally across the industry by a board of shippers, carriers, and NVOCCs, resulting in the credibility of a financial benchmark with the collaboration of the shipping industry.
Incorporate NYFI into your risk management strategy via our platform or API access directly into yours.
Value Proposition
A Trusted Benchmark for Volatile Freight Markets.
Accurate
Built on real shipped rates, not quotes or surveys. Every data point reflects a paid shipment, reducing basis risk in index-linked contracts and financial hedges.
Transparent and Free
Open access for shippers, carriers, and forwarders with clear methodology and regulatory oversight. Shared visibility strengthens alignment and reduces friction.
Easy to Hedge
Supported by leading global financial institutions to enable credible index-linked contracts and financial risk management. Freight exposure can be managed with discipline, not absorbed unpredictably.
Intelligent
Transaction-based pricing combined with historical depth, volatility metrics, rate bands, forward visibility, and expert commentary to help participants interpret what changed and why.
Equitably Governed
Equally governed by shippers, carriers, and forwarders to ensure structural neutrality, long-term trust, and confidence across market cycles.
Use Cases
How NYFI helps you succeed.
Whether you’re a shipper, forwarder, or carrier, NYFI delivers the insights and tools you need to navigate volatile freight markets with confidence.
See real shipment rates — not just quoted prices.
Weekly transparency into real, loaded cargo gives shippers, carriers, and NVOCCs a shared truth to forecast, plan, and price with confidence.
→ Outcome: Clarity and alignment across every negotiation.
A single, neutral reference point for global freight.
Benchmark quotes, yields, or customer rates against the only index built on actual shipments — not intent.
→ Outcome: Trusted data that ends rate disputes before they start.
Use futures prices to understand what the market expects.
Track NYFI-linked futures prices to reveal market expectations and trade the NYFI container freight futures contracts to hedge exposure to rate swings.
→ Outcome: Freight becomes manageable, not unpredictable.
Contracts that hold, even when markets don’t.
Built for parity across shippers, carriers, NVOCCs, NYFI supports index-linked contracts grounded in auditable, board-governed data.
→ Outcome: Predictable performance through volatility.
Turn freight volatility into a financial strategy.
When rates spike, hedges offset the impact. When rates fall, you already benefited operationally. The goal isn’t to win the market. It’s to protect your business.
Start trading the NYFI container freight futures contracts to hedge exposure to rate swings.
Data Integrity
Data you can trust.
A freight index is only as strong as its data. NYFI captures actual shipped transactions not quotes, tenders, or estimates.
Every data point is validated for completeness, timing, and accuracy, ensuring the benchmark reflects true market behavior week after week.
The result: reliable benchmarks upon which you can anchor budgets, contracts, and futures, avoiding surprises.
Industry Governed
Equal representation for shippers, carriers, and NVOCCs via a multi-stakeholder council.
Trusted at Scale
2,000+ weekly active users across the global container community.
Robust Compliance
Operates under Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) agreement.
Testimonials
What the industry is saying about NYFI.
“Reliable freight indices are no longer optional, they’re essential. The ability to base contracts and risk management on shipped, auditable data is what will finally bring stability to ocean freight markets. What NYSHEX is doing with NYFI and futures is the missing link between supply chain strategy and financial discipline.”
Lars Jensen
CEO
“I’m looking forward to the Freight Futures Forum as a key opportunity for the industry to exchange ideas and strengthen its approach to managing volatility. As an innovative global logistics solutions provider, KWE is committed to staying ahead of emerging developments and industry trends to remain a trusted partner to our clients. Engaging with experts and peers at this event will be invaluable in enhancing our collective understanding of risk management and supporting customers as this new area of the market evolves.”
Steven Moser
VP Ocean
“As an agri shipper, we hedge the risk that the price of our goods changes between the time we agree to a sale and the time we deliver. However, we are exposed to the risk that the price of shipping our goods can change significantly between the time of sale and time of delivery. I’m excited to be speaking at the NYSHEX and ICE Futures Forum in London, where we will work together with other industry leaders on a way to hedge our shipping price exposure.”
April Zobel
Profit Center Manager
“We’re excited to be part of this discussion at such a pivotal time for the industry. As futures trading begins to take shape in this market, it’s vital to share knowledge, promote transparency, and help participants understand how effective risk management tools can support sustainable growth and confidence.”
Raphaël C. Amiach
Director of Commodity Sales Europe
“With volatility in global trade at an all-time high, conversations around container futures trading and hedging have never been more relevant. It’s a great opportunity to share insights, learn from peers, and explore solutions that will shape the future of global shipping.”
Peter Stallion
Container FFAs/Freight Futures, Clarksons
The industry’s building something better—don’t just watch it happen.
Be part of the first wave to receive real market insights built by and for the ocean freight community. Let’s move forward, together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes NYFI different from other freight indices?
NYFI is the only freight index built entirely on shipped transactions — not quotes, tenders, or modeled data. Other indices reflect rate intent; NYFI reflects market reality. It’s trusted for commercial contracts, benchmarking, and risk management — not just trend analysis.
How does NYFI collect and validate shipment data?
NYFI sources anonymized, executed shipment data directly from global shippers, carriers, and NVOCCs. Each record is validated for accuracy and completeness, while outliers are automatically flagged and reviewed under NYFI’s published methodology — ensuring only verified, representative data shapes the index.
How often are NYFI indices updated?
Published weekly to balance timeliness with stability, NYFI reflects the actual rates of cargo that moved during that period — providing current visibility without distortion.
How is NYFI governed and audited?
NYFI operates under a neutral governance model — no single company controls the data, methodology, or publication. All changes must be approved by a board equally representing shippers, carriers, and NVOCCs. NYFI meets the integrity, transparency, and oversight standards of regulated financial benchmarks.
Can NYFI be used for index-linked contracts or futures?
Yes. NYFI was designed to serve as the foundation for index-linked contracts and container freight futures. Its governance, methodology, and validation standards ensure that both commercial and financial stakeholders can rely on it with confidence.
Why does NYFI use only shipped data and not quotes?
Quotes reflect intent, not execution. In volatile markets, that difference can distort reality. NYFI’s shipped data ensures every rate represents a transaction that actually occurred — not what someone hoped to pay or charge.
Which surcharges are included in NYFI indices?
NYFI includes consistent, mandatory surcharges such as Bunker Adjustment, Security, and Terminal Handling Charges, while excluding variable or temporary costs like Peak Season or Congestion. This balance ensures clean comparability and eliminates distortion from one-off conditions.