Dear Valued Customers,
As copper production and cross-border trade continue to expand across Central and Southern Africa, transportation costs have become an increasingly important component of the regional copper supply chain. Freight rates from the DRC Copperbelt to major export ports can fluctuate depending on truck availability, fuel prices, border clearance conditions, route congestion, vehicle configuration and other logistics factors. Freight costs can account for more than 60% of the FCA copper cathode premium, making freight pricing an important focus for market participants.
In response to growing demand for greater transparency in regional logistics costs, Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) has conducted extensive market research and engaged with logistics companies, traders, cargo owners and other market participants active along key African copper transportation corridors.
To help market participants better monitor changes in cross-border road freight costs and provide a consistent reference for the African copper market, SMM will launch a series of Africa Copper Logistics Freight Assessments on September 25, 2026.
Assessment Definition
The SMM Africa Copper Logistics Freight Assessments represent prevailing spot full-truckload road freight costs for transporting copper cathode from specified origins in the DRC Copperbelt to major regional export ports, quoted in USD/tonne.
A 32-tonne payload will be used as the standard benchmark. Quotations based on other payload specifications will be normalized to the 32-tonne standard before being considered in the assessment.
The standard freight assessment reflects normal carrier-side transportation costs, including fuel, driver costs, road tolls and routine transport and transit requirements. Costs outside the standard freight service, including customs clearance and document-agency fees, import and export duties and taxes, cargo insurance, security escort, special inspections, storage or demurrage and other exceptional charges, are excluded unless otherwise specified.
New Freight Index Details
Kolwezi–Durban Copper Freight
Weekly spot road freight assessment for copper cathode transported from Kolwezi, DRC, to Durban, South Africa, quoted in USD/tonne.
Likasi–Durban Copper Freight
Weekly spot road freight assessment for copper cathode transported from Likasi, DRC, to Durban, South Africa, quoted in USD/tonne.
Lubumbashi–Durban Copper Freight
Weekly spot road freight assessment for copper cathode transported from Lubumbashi, DRC, to Durban, South Africa, quoted in USD/tonne.
Kolwezi–Dar es Salaam Copper Freight
Weekly spot road freight assessment for copper cathode transported from Kolwezi, DRC, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, quoted in USD/tonne.
Likasi–Dar es Salaam Copper Freight
Weekly spot road freight assessment for copper cathode transported from Likasi, DRC, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, quoted in USD/tonne.
Lubumbashi–Dar es Salaam Copper Freight
Weekly spot road freight assessment for copper cathode transported from Lubumbashi, DRC, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, quoted in USD/tonne.
SMM will consider market information including confirmed transactions, firm freight quotations, bids, offers and other verified market indications. Where necessary, information may be normalized for differences in payload, vehicle configuration, service scope and other relevant commercial terms to improve comparability.
The assessments will be published as low, high and average freight levels and updated weekly, every Friday at 11:00 a.m. Zambia time, with the first publication scheduled for September 25, 2026.
Ahead of the first publication, SMM will continue accumulating freight quotations and consulting with logistics companies and other market participants to cross-validate the assessments and ensure that they appropriately reflect prevailing market conditions.
We invite logistics companies, copper producers, traders, cargo owners and other participants across the African copper supply chain to participate in and support these pricing initiatives.
For further information, please contact:
Ryan Pumulo
+260 770 724 226
Ryanpumulo@smm.cn