Argus Caspian Transportation
Overview
The Argus Caspian Transportation service includes a Russian-language report that provides essential coverage of the transportation markets in central Asia and the Caspian region.
The swift development of infrastructure and commodity markets in the region has boosted the importance of price information and analysis for market participants, who are looking to improve their transport operations, choose the best shipping options and respond promptly to market activity.
The report covers bulk and dry cargo shipments including crude and oil products, coal, metals, fertilizers, petrochemical products and LPG.
Key features
Russian language
This weekly service is published in Russian language by our expert team of specialists on the ground in the region.
Rail shipments
Key data on rail shipments, rail tariffs, statistical data, analysis of trade flows and information on rail congestion.
Pipeline shipments
Transport and associated costs for pipeline shipments of crude from Kazakhstan through the Caspian Sea, Russia and China.
Freight rates
Monthly freight rates for tanker shipments of crude, oil products and bulk shipments of metals in the region.
Afghanistan coverage
Fuel shipments by tanker trucks in Afghanistan.
Imports and exports
The latest import and export data for shipments across Central Asia and the Caspian for crude, oil products and fertilisers.
Customers that benefit
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Shipping and forwarding companies
Use our price assessments to calculate freight rates for crude cargoes.
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Cargo owners and suppliers to Tajikistan and importers
Use these price assessments to substantiate their prices before Tajik customs authorities.
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Terminal operators
Use Argus data to track cargo traffic and validate their rates for cargo handling.
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Traders and importers
Use our assessments of Russian-Kazakh border prices as reference prices from Russian sellers and Kazakh buyers of oil products.
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Regulators and customs authorities
Use the information to assess customs duties on oil products imports.
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Transportation companies in Kazakhstan
Use Argus Caspian Transportation to determine the rental rates of their railcars.
Product specifications
Argus Caspian Transportation gives you access to prices, news and analysis on the transportation markets in Central Asia and the Caspian region.
- Key data on rail shipments in central Asia, covering changes in rail tariffs, statistical data on shipments of coal, petrochemical products and fertilizers, as well as analysis of trade flows and information on rail congestion and other fundamentals
- Monthly lease rates for railcars, including tankcars, open wagons, boxcars, tankcars for petrochemical products and LPG, as well as hopper cars in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia
- Transport tariffs and other export costs
- Transport and associated costs for pipeline shipments of crude from Kazakhstan through the Caspian Sea, Russia and China
- Tariff policy of pipeline companies and effective rates for export deliveries
- Assessment of demurrage costs at Caspian ports
- Benchmarking of different routes for dry and liquid bulk cargoes
- Oil product import data for Kazakhstan by railway, transit of oil products through Okarem, transshipment of crude and oil products in Georgian ports, rail transit of oil products through Kazakhstan to central Asia, shipments to and from Caspian ports
- Transportation costs for crude exports from Kazakhstan (including shipments through Samara), Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, and for exports of fertilizers
Published in real time through the Argus Direct client portal, and in the weekly PDF report, our expert team of market reporters are publishing the latest transportation news stories from across the central Asia and Caspian Markets, in Russian language only.
Key price assessments
Argus prices are recognised by the market as trusted and reliable indicators of the real market value. Explore some of our most widely used and relevant price assessments.
Gasoil diesel 50ppm fob offshore Lome STS cargo
The market’s first and only price assessment of low sulphur gasoil cargo for West Africa.
US physical trade month
In the US, the crude industry utilizes a physical trade month, that is not based on a typical calendar month nor the Nymex futures contract schedule.
Nymex roll
The commonly-used calculation to determine the physical price of crude at Cushing.
Argus WTI Midland
The Argus WTI Midland price is a volume-weighted average of spot trades. The oil price is a differential to Nymex light sweet crude futures settlement.
Argus WTI Houston
The light sweet crude oil price on the US Gulf coast is based on the Argus Houston WTI price, which is the most transparent WTI price indicator.
Argus WTI diff to CMA
The ideal adjustment factor to calculate the price of WTI at Cushing.
Argus Western Canadian Select
Argus Western Canadian Select examines Cold Lake and Western Canadian Select (WCS oil prices), the most active spots on the US Gulf Coast for heavy crude oil streams.
Argus waterborne fob Gulf asphalt
The US Gulf coast is a significant region for asphalt exports, and the swiftly changing nature of crude slates has increased the need for transparent benchmarks that accurately reflect prices.
Argus USGC Group I and Group II fob
Independent price assessments capturing the value of group I and II base oils exported from the US Gulf Coast.
Argus US West Coast SAF
Using real market transactions to accurately reflect the supply and demand dynamics of this low carbon fuel.
Argus US Gulf Colonial pipeline Cbob
Industry-leading price assessments for the most physical liquid gasoline market in the world.
Argus US Gulf Colonial pipeline 87 conventional gasoline
Captures the true value of this fuel, primarily used for exports or domestic blending.
Argus US Gulf colonial jet fuel
Key price reference for the most physical liquid jet fuel market in the Americas.
Argus UCOME biodiesel
The Argus UCOME (used cooking oil methyl ester) price assessment is a key benchmark for European waste biodiesel markets. The primary basis for the UCOME price assessment is fob ARA range — including Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Flushing and Ghent. Argus also produces a UCOME price assessment for the southeast China region.
Argus US Colonial pipeline ULSD
The key index basis for diesel in the US and across Latin America.
Argus Southeast Asia cfr standard MOP
The Southeast Asia cfr Standard MOP assessment is the region’s leading spot price reference.
Gasoil diesel 50ppm fob offshore Lome STS cargo
The market’s first and only price assessment of low sulphur gasoil cargo for West Africa.
US physical trade month
In the US, the crude industry utilizes a physical trade month, that is not based on a typical calendar month nor the Nymex futures contract schedule.
Nymex roll
The commonly-used calculation to determine the physical price of crude at Cushing.
Argus WTI Midland
The Argus WTI Midland price is a volume-weighted average of spot trades. The oil price is a differential to Nymex light sweet crude futures settlement.
Argus WTI Houston
The light sweet crude oil price on the US Gulf coast is based on the Argus Houston WTI price, which is the most transparent WTI price indicator.
Argus WTI diff to CMA
The ideal adjustment factor to calculate the price of WTI at Cushing.
Argus Western Canadian Select
Argus Western Canadian Select examines Cold Lake and Western Canadian Select (WCS oil prices), the most active spots on the US Gulf Coast for heavy crude oil streams.
Argus waterborne fob Gulf asphalt
The US Gulf coast is a significant region for asphalt exports, and the swiftly changing nature of crude slates has increased the need for transparent benchmarks that accurately reflect prices.
Argus USGC Group I and Group II fob
Independent price assessments capturing the value of group I and II base oils exported from the US Gulf Coast.
Argus US West Coast SAF
Using real market transactions to accurately reflect the supply and demand dynamics of this low carbon fuel.
Argus US Gulf Colonial pipeline Cbob
Industry-leading price assessments for the most physical liquid gasoline market in the world.
Argus US Gulf Colonial pipeline 87 conventional gasoline
Captures the true value of this fuel, primarily used for exports or domestic blending.
Argus US Gulf colonial jet fuel
Key price reference for the most physical liquid jet fuel market in the Americas.
Argus UCOME biodiesel
The Argus UCOME (used cooking oil methyl ester) price assessment is a key benchmark for European waste biodiesel markets. The primary basis for the UCOME price assessment is fob ARA range — including Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Flushing and Ghent. Argus also produces a UCOME price assessment for the southeast China region.
Argus US Colonial pipeline ULSD
The key index basis for diesel in the US and across Latin America.
Argus Southeast Asia cfr standard MOP
The Southeast Asia cfr Standard MOP assessment is the region’s leading spot price reference.
Gasoil diesel 50ppm fob offshore Lome STS cargo
The market’s first and only price assessment of low sulphur gasoil cargo for West Africa.
US physical trade month
In the US, the crude industry utilizes a physical trade month, that is not based on a typical calendar month nor the Nymex futures contract schedule.
Nymex roll
The commonly-used calculation to determine the physical price of crude at Cushing.
Argus WTI Midland
The Argus WTI Midland price is a volume-weighted average of spot trades. The oil price is a differential to Nymex light sweet crude futures settlement.
Argus WTI Houston
The light sweet crude oil price on the US Gulf coast is based on the Argus Houston WTI price, which is the most transparent WTI price indicator.
Argus WTI diff to CMA
The ideal adjustment factor to calculate the price of WTI at Cushing.
Argus Western Canadian Select
Argus Western Canadian Select examines Cold Lake and Western Canadian Select (WCS oil prices), the most active spots on the US Gulf Coast for heavy crude oil streams.
Argus waterborne fob Gulf asphalt
The US Gulf coast is a significant region for asphalt exports, and the swiftly changing nature of crude slates has increased the need for transparent benchmarks that accurately reflect prices.
Argus USGC Group I and Group II fob
Independent price assessments capturing the value of group I and II base oils exported from the US Gulf Coast.
Argus US West Coast SAF
Using real market transactions to accurately reflect the supply and demand dynamics of this low carbon fuel.
Argus US Gulf Colonial pipeline Cbob
Industry-leading price assessments for the most physical liquid gasoline market in the world.
Argus US Gulf Colonial pipeline 87 conventional gasoline
Captures the true value of this fuel, primarily used for exports or domestic blending.
Argus US Gulf colonial jet fuel
Key price reference for the most physical liquid jet fuel market in the Americas.
Argus UCOME biodiesel
The Argus UCOME (used cooking oil methyl ester) price assessment is a key benchmark for European waste biodiesel markets. The primary basis for the UCOME price assessment is fob ARA range — including Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Flushing and Ghent. Argus also produces a UCOME price assessment for the southeast China region.
Related documents
Argus Caspian Transportation
The Argus Caspian Transportation service, available in Russian language, includes a weekly report on the transportation markets of the Caspian region and central Asia.
Methodology
Get the most up-to-date guide to the methodology used to ensure the prices published in the Argus Caspian Transportation service are free from distortion and representative of spot market values.
