The Baltic Exchange’s benchmark dry bulk freight index rose for a second consecutive session on Friday, advancing about 1% to 3,370 points, sources indicated on 18 September 2026.
The report said the capesize index, the segment that typically carries 150,000-ton cargoes such as iron ore and coal, climbed by 2% to 5,768 points. The supramax index also registered an increase, the source added, though the precise movement for that class was not given in the summary provided.
Friday’s advance marked a short-lived continuation of gains in the Baltic Exchange reading, which aggregates freight rates across vessel sizes to provide a single measure of dry bulk shipping market conditions. The movement to 3,370 points represents the index rising by roughly one percentage point from its previous close.
The capesize rise was the most pronounced of the reported moves, with a 2% increase to 5,768 points on the same day. That class of vessel is conventionally associated with very large bulk trades and its trajectory is widely watched as an indicator of heavy commodity flows, particularly iron ore and thermal coal shipments.
Sources carried the figures in a brief market note dated 18 September 2026, flagging the second straight session of upward momentum for the Baltic Exchange summary index. The outlet’s item provided the headline numbers for the overall index and for the capesize sector while stating that supramax rates were higher as well.
What the indices measure
The Baltic Dry Index is compiled to track charter rates for vessels engaged in the movement of dry bulk commodities. It functions as an aggregated gauge of freight costs across vessel classes and is used by market participants to monitor changes in demand for sea-borne bulk carriage.
The capesize index isolates the largest ships in the dry bulk fleet and is therefore particularly responsive to changes in the movement of very large cargoes such as iron ore and coal. The supramax index covers smaller bulk vessels that carry a broad mix of industrial and agricultural bulk cargoes; the report noted that this index rose on Friday without specifying the numerical change.
Short report, limited detail
The reports item supplied the headline movements but offered no narrative explanation for the gains, and the summary provided here does not expand beyond those reported figures. No additional freight-rate classes, regional movements or underlying chartering fixtures were included in the supplied notes.
Market watchers rely on successive publications of the Baltic Exchange indices to build a clearer picture of trend and direction, but the brief report published on 18 September 2026 contained only the headline advances for the overall index, the capesize sector and a confirmation of an uptick in supramax rates. For readers seeking deeper analysis, fuller daily Baltic Exchange bulletins or longer market commentary would be required.
In the absence of further detail from the supplied account, the reported outcome for 18 September stands as a straightforward market snapshot: the Baltic Dry Index rose by about 1% to 3,370 points, the capesize index increased by 2% to 5,768 points, and the supramax index was also higher, according to reports.