Sparta’s pioneering market intelligence propels global freight trading house ahead of the competition

Problem: Freight Forward Agreement (FFA) traders: the challenge of making informed decisions without direct evidence or real-time data from the physical market.

A globally expanding freight trading company acclaimed for its innovative strategies and consistent delivery of impressive outcomes in the ever-changing freight trading sector sought to deepen its understanding of supply and demand economics.

Trading with clarity and conviction can only happen with access to reliable, forward-looking intelligence. But by the time they discerned the reason behind a market shift – such as changes in arbitrage opportunities due to stock levels or price differentials – the opportunity to act effectively had already passed. This not only leads to missed opportunities but also increases risk.

“So, the problem as a FFA freight trader is that sometimes you see things happening, and by the time you understand why those things have happened, it’s too late because the reason that triggered the move on paper and the spot market originated maybe 15 days or a month ago, and so you don’t really understand. When you see the fixture and the cargo, it is already too late.”

Global Freight Trader

Solution: Real-time market intelligence from Sparta

The organisation had been actively seeking a solution, including attempts to collaborate with physical owners, yet they still found themselves without the necessary insights to understand the triggers behind cargo opportunities. They then tried Sparta, the live market intelligence and forecasting platform for traders.

To achieve this, Sparta collaborates with top-tier brokerages and data providers worldwide, securing the most precise and trustworthy market data. This data is then meticulously cleaned and processed by the platform, which generates value-added context and insights. This process uncovers the real value embedded in the data, thereby revealing actionable trading opportunities in real-time, such as an understanding of physical flows and margins without having to invest in physical assets.

“I was missing that part and looking around for something like that, and I could not find it. You are innovative, and there is innovation in the way that you display the arbs.”

Global Freight Trader

Benefits: trading with conviction by understanding physical flows and margins

With market intelligence powered by Sparta, the organisation has gained crucial insights into supply and demand dynamics, enabling them to identify and understand trends, manage risk, and identify profitable opportunities before their competition.

“I really like the arb comparison; it allows me to understand the spread of the free market. It enables me to understand what I can expect for freight. “

Global Freight Trader

Thanks to Sparta, the trading organisation has access to live market intelligence that adds conviction to how they trade. Sparta has become an essential part of the trader’s daily life,
turning doubt and indecision into insight-driven action.

“So, yes, it is part of my daily routine. I open Sparta and I check what is there that can help me out. I’m very happy with the software it is the only one we have renewed for another year.”

Global Freight Trader