Shipping capacity futures set sail in Shanghai

The Shanghai Shipping Freight Exchange Co will launch the world's first derivatives for shipping capacity delivery on Thursday in a bid to meet increasing demand for hedging tools.

Analysts said that the contracts will provide better insight into domestic shipping rates, as well as giving China a larger voice in pricing and more experience in developing financial products for the shipping industry.

The contracts will be based on coal shipping rates from Qinhuangdao, in North China's Hebei province, to Shanghai along north-to-south shipping routes.