Indicative urea benchmark · September 2026
$520US$/MT
Updated 16 September 2026
Urea market context for better buying decisions.
Indicative benchmarks, price movement and freight-to-tonne context. Market references are informational and are not Nirva Ventures quotations.
Latest reference
September 2026
Product prices, ocean freight, destination costs and financing conditions move independently. A current landed-cost discussion should therefore begin with origin, quantity, shipment format and destination.
Container freight reference · 10 September 2026
$4,476US$/40ft
Drewry World Container Index
10 September 2026 · global composite. Equivalent at an assumed 25 MT net payload. Not a Middle East-to-Colombo quotation.Commercial context
FOB+ freight
Understand the route to landed cost
Request a current requirement-specific offer.Freight-to-tonne conversion
Container and bulk shipping on an insured basis.
Marine cargo insurance is illustrated at 0.35% of FOB plus ocean freight. Actual premiums and policy terms require an insurer quotation.
01Container
Global composite reference
$4,476 per 40ft÷25 MT payload=$181.49/MT incl. insurance
Ocean freight $179.04/MT plus an illustrative $2.45/MT insurance allowance. Equivalent at an assumed 25 MT net payload. Not a Middle East-to-Colombo quotation.
02Bulk vessel
Middle East → Colombo
Route quote requiredUS$/MT
Full-vessel freight is assessed on a 15,000 MT cargo basis. The verified total vessel quote is divided by 15,000 MT to produce the comparable US$/MT freight cost. Insurance is then applied to FOB plus freight.
FOB + freight + insurance · September 2026
An insured cost-to-port starting point.
This combines the September 2026 FOB reference, the container-freight reference dated 10 September 2026 and an illustrative marine-insurance allowance. It is not a route-specific quotation.
FOB benchmark · September 2026$520.00/MT
+Freight + insurance$181.49/MT
=Indicative insured cost to port$701.49/MT
Insurance basis
Illustrative 0.35% applied to FOB plus freight; actual cover, excesses and premium require insurer confirmation.
ExcludedOrigin and destination handling, duties and taxes, finance, clearance, storage, inland transport and supplier or importer margins.
Bulk shipmentsA final bulk indication requires a current route-specific freight assessment and shipment-specific insurance quotation.
Container and full-vessel comparison
Two insured shipment formats, one per-ton basis.
Both options are expressed per metric ton. Marine insurance is shown separately from ocean freight and remains subject to actual policy terms.
Ocean freight $179.04/MT plus $2.45/MT illustrative insurance.
FOB + freight + insurance: $701.49/MTTotal verified vessel freight quote ÷ 15,000 MT, plus marine insurance on FOB and freight.
FOB cargo value: $7,800,000Final basis: FOB + verified vessel freight + insurance
Route quote requiredRegional procurement view
Origin-by-origin price and freight comparison.
Figures remain separated by product form, trade basis and date. Entries marked for review will not be treated as verified market references until the required cross-check is complete.
01
Urea price by origin
Current published FOB references. No assumed product prices.
| Origin / loading area | Product | Indicative price | Basis | Applicable date | Data status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle EastRegional FOB | Granular | $520.00 | FOB · US$/MT | 16 Sep 2026 | Verified benchmark |
| ChinaMajor export ports | Granular | $400–415 | FOB · US$/MT | 23 Jul 2026 | Secondary check pending |
| MalaysiaPort Klang / Bintulu | Granular | Quote required | FOB · US$/MT | Current | No verified public assessment |
| IndonesiaPalembang / Bontang | Prilled / granular | Quote required | FOB · US$/MT | Current | No verified public assessment |
| VietnamSouthern Vietnam | Granular | Quote required | FOB · US$/MT | Current | No verified public assessment |
02
Container shipping and insurance to Colombo
Published route indications only. Per-ton conversion uses a 25 MT review payload; insurance is illustrated at 0.35% of FOB plus freight.
| Origin / route | Equipment | Published freight | Ocean freight / MT | Freight + insurance / MT | Applicable date | Data status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle EastJebel Ali → Colombo | 20ft GP | Quote required | — | Quote required | Current | Route quote required |
| ChinaShanghai → Colombo | 20ft GP | $1,995/container | $79.80/MT | $81.51/MT | 25 Jul–2 Aug 2026 | Secondary check pending |
| MalaysiaPort Klang → Colombo | 20ft GP | Quote required | — | Quote required | Current | FCL quote required |
| IndonesiaJakarta → Colombo | 20ft GP | Quote required | — | Quote required | Current | FCL quote required |
| VietnamHo Chi Minh City → Colombo | 20ft GP | $2,826–2,944/container | $113.04–117.76/MT | FOB value required | 17 Jul 2026 | All-in listing; review pending |
03
15,000 MT insured bulk-vessel planning assumptions
Illustrative assumptions only—not reported freight, an insurance quotation, a carrier quotation or a Nirva Ventures offer. Insurance uses 0.35% of assumed FOB plus freight.
| Origin / route | Assumed FOB / MT | Assumed freight / MT | Insurance / MT | Freight + insurance / MT | CIF-style total / MT | Assumed vessel freight | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle EastArabian Gulf → Colombo | $520.00 | $35–55 | $1.94–2.01 | $36.94–57.01 | $556.94–577.01 | $525,000–825,000 | 7–12 days |
| ChinaNorth / East China → Colombo | $407.50 | $45–70 | $1.58–1.67 | $46.58–71.67 | $454.08–479.17 | $675,000–1,050,000 | 14–22 days |
| MalaysiaMalaysia → Colombo | $410.00 | $28–45 | $1.53–1.59 | $29.53–46.59 | $439.53–456.59 | $420,000–675,000 | 5–9 days |
| IndonesiaIndonesia → Colombo | $435.00 | $32–50 | $1.63–1.70 | $33.63–51.70 | $468.63–486.70 | $480,000–750,000 | 7–12 days |
| VietnamVietnam → Colombo | $410.00 | $38–60 | $1.57–1.65 | $39.57–61.65 | $449.57–471.64 | $570,000–900,000 | 9–15 days |
04
Regional historical reference
Historical values retain their original product form and FOB basis; non-comparable entries are identified.
| Origin | Reference period | Product | Reported price | Basis | Comparison note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle East | Aug 2025 | Granular | $497–507 | FOB · US$/MT | Comparable historical range |
| China | Aug 2025 | Prilled | $411–485 | FOB · US$/MT | Product form differs |
| Malaysia | Aug 2025 | Granular | Not reported | FOB · US$/MT | No comparable public FOB record |
| Indonesia | Aug 2025 | Prilled | $430–440 | FOB Palembang · US$/MT | Historical tender range |
| Vietnam | Aug 2025 | Granular | $507 | FOB · US$/MT | Historical reported trade |
Quarterly FOB price movement
FOB urea benchmark by quarter
Product price only — excludes ocean freight, insurance and destination costs.
Yearly FOB price movement
Annual average FOB benchmark
Product price only — excludes ocean freight, insurance and destination costs.
Why prices move
Energy, policy, logistics and seasonal demand.
Natural gas
Gas is a major nitrogen production cost, making energy markets a primary price driver.
Trade routes
A substantial share of urea trade crosses strategic maritime routes, so disruptions can quickly affect availability.
Policy & tenders
Export controls, government policy and large international tenders can alter trade flows and short-term demand.
Freight & currency
Ocean freight, insurance and exchange rates shape the delivered cost beyond the FOB benchmark.
Published sourcesCME Group · Urea (Granular) FOB Middle East FuturesDrewry WCIQuarterly & annual cross-checkS&P bulk freight methodology
References are dated and informational. Route-specific freight, insurance and delivered pricing require current commercial quotations.
Commercial enquiries