The basic characteristics of international shipping futures trading are:

1. Contract standardization. The buying and selling of international shipping spot transactions directly takes the cargo itself as the subject, is based on the physical object, and takes the market as the price. The trading of international shipping futures is directly based on futures contracts, that is, buying or selling several lots or futures contracts.

2. Transactions inside and outside the venue. General futures trading does not allow over-the-counter trading, and futures trading is conducted in futures exchanges established in accordance with the law.

3. Settlement through clearing house. Futures transactions are settled exclusively by clearing houses. All transactions concluded on the exchange must be sent to the clearing house for settlement, and are finally concluded only after settlement processing.

4. Margin system. Futures trading has the characteristics of high credit, which is reflected in the margin system of futures trading.

5. Use the freight index of the Baltic Sea Exchange as the delivery price. The international shipping futures delivery price, regardless of OTC or on-site trading voyage contracts, generally uses the average freight rate of the seven index days published by the Baltic Shipping Exchange at the end of each month as the delivery price.