Fertilizers, Chemicals, Energy Transition, Renewables

June 27, 2025

Platts discontinues weekly FOB Middle East ammonia contract, spot assessments; refines daily, weekly FOB Middle East ammonia specifications

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, has discontinued two ammonia weekly FOB Middle East assessments and adjusted and aligned the remaining daily and weekly FOB Middle East ammonia specifications, effective June 27, 2025.

The weekly FOB Middle East (FAMEA04) ammonia assessment has previously been published as a range with a low and high value, formed of the weekly FOB Middle East -- netbacks from contract/formula-priced sales (FAMEB04) and FOB Middle East -- spot (FAMEC04) assessments.

Effective June 27, Platts has discontinued the FOB Middle East -- netbacks from contract/formula-priced sales (FAMEB04) and FOB Middle East -- spot (FAMEC04) assessments, leaving the overarching FOB Middle East (FAMEA04) assessment as the only weekly price.

The changes have been made to address a lack of transparency in formula-based pricing and netbacks from CFR deliveries under long-term contracts, and to avoid duplication of the spot price assessments.

As of June 27, the weekly FOB Middle East (FAMEA04) assessment is now directly linked to the daily FOB Middle East (FAMEC00) assessments. The relationship between the remaining daily and weekly FOB Middle East assessments has been standardized, with the weekly low-high FOB Middle East assessment now reflective of the lowest and highest of the daily FOB Middle East assessments published over the course of the preceding week. To enable this, the specifications of the daily and weekly FOB Middle East assessments have been adjusted and aligned. Moreover, the overarching weekly FOB Middle East (FAMEA04) assessment reflects spot pricing only.

The quantity specification for each of the remaining assessments has been changed from 4,000 mt in the case of the weekly assessment and 10,000-25,000 mt in the case of the daily assessment to a basis of 25,000 mt, with price information relating to other volumes normalized to this point where necessary.

The location specification of each assessment has also been narrowed, with Ras al Khair in Saudi Arabia as a basis, and price information relating to products from other relevant regional locations, including Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, but excluding Iran, normalized to this point where necessary.

The following changes have been made to the specifications for the daily and weekly FOB Middle East assessments:

Old specificationsUpdated specifications as of June 27
Assessment NameFOB Middle East – daily (FAMEC00)FOB Middle East – daily (FAMEC00)
QualityAnhydrous ammonia, which is around 82% nitrogen and is stored and transported as a liquid under pressure at around minus 33 degrees CelsiusAnhydrous ammonia, which is around 82% nitrogen and is stored and transported as a liquid under pressure at around minus 33 degrees Celsius, with no restrictions on carbon intensity
Quantity10,000-25,000 mtBasis 25,000 mt
Basis and locationSpot. Ammonia-exporting ports/terminals in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE. Other locations may be used when reflective of the market and normalizedSpot. Basis port Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia. Excludes Iran
TimingProduct to be shipped 1-6 weeks forwardLoading 1-6 weeks forward
FrequencyDailyDaily
Appears inPlatts Fertecon DailyPlatts Fertecon Daily
Unit of assessmentUS dollars per mtUS dollars per mt
Timestamp16:30 London close, published according to the London publishing calendar16:30 London close, published according to the London publishing calendar

Old specificationsUpdated specifications as of June 27
Assessment NameFOB Middle East – weekly (FAMEA04)FOB Middle East – weekly (FAMEA04)
QualityAnhydrous ammonia, which is around 82% nitrogen and is stored and transported as a liquid under pressure at around minus 33 degrees CelsiusAnhydrous ammonia, which is around 82% nitrogen and is stored and transported as a liquid under pressure at around minus 33 degrees Celsius, with no restrictions on carbon intensity
QuantityMinimum 4,000 mtBasis 25,000 mt
Basis and locationContract and spot. Countries covered: Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE. Loading ports: all ammonia-exporting ports/terminals in the countries listed above, including Al Jubail, Bandar Imam Khomeini, Bandar Assaluyeh, Mesaieed, Ras al Khair, Ruwais, Shuaiba, Sitra, Sur. This range is a combination of the FOB Middle East – netbacks on contract/formula priced sales and FOB spot.Spot. Basis port Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia. Excludes Iran.
TimingProduct to be shipped up to six weeks forwardLoading one to six weeks forward
FrequencyWeeklyWeekly
Appears inAmmonia Market ReportAmmonia Market Report
Unit of assessmentUS dollars per mtUS dollars per mt
Timestamp16:30 London close, published according to the London publishing calendar16:30 London close, published according to the London publishing calendar

Information relating to other cargo sizes and trading terms may be considered and normalized as required.

Platts has also launched a third "close" value for the weekly FOB Middle East assessment, reflecting market value at 16:30 London time on Thursdays, mirroring that day's daily assessment.

The daily FOB Middle East assessment will continue to appear in the Platts Fertecon Daily PDF and be available via Platts Connect.

The proposed "close" value for the weekly FOB Middle East assessment will appear in the Ammonia Market Report PDF each Thursday alongside the established weekly FOB Middle East range assessment.

The decision to discontinue two weekly FOB Middle East assessments and adjust and align the remaining daily and weekly FOB Middle East specifications follows a proposal note published here (opens in a new tab)on April 1, 2025, and a decision note published here (opens in a new tab)on April 18, 2025.

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