Indexing
Index-linked contracts keep your ocean freight rate aligned with the market, so you spend less time renegotiating and more time on service and partnerships. This section explains how indexing works, how to model it, and how to manage it in Xeneta.
Start here
The idea behind indexing, the benefits, and when it suits your lanes.
The parameters that define an index-linked contract, from reference index to floors and ceilings.
How surcharges and terminal handling charges are treated, including the North America exception.
The XSI and XSI®-C indices, where the rates come from, and why they are neutral.
Put it into practice
Model how an indexed rate would behave across your portfolio before you commit.
Apply your rules to an active contract and let rate updates run automatically.
How freight futures let you lock in a rate, and where they sit on the indexing journey.
Key indexing terms and answers to the questions we hear most.
The bigger picture
Ocean freight has always been volatile. Shippers and logistics providers can spend months agreeing a 12-month contract, only for a market shift to send them back to the table. Indexing replaces that fixed price with a transparent, market-driven benchmark, so the rate stays fair as conditions change and cargo is less likely to be rolled.
Xeneta supports the full journey: understand indexing here, model it in the Index-Linked Contract Simulator, operate it in the Index Contract Manager, and, looking ahead, lock in prices through freight derivatives.
Updated about 3 hours ago