Platts Shipping Early May Holiday: London Schedule Changes 2026

Key Points

• S&P Global Commodity Insights offices in London will close on May 4, 2026, due to the Early May Bank Holiday.
• Platts Clean and Dirty Tankerwires will not publish on May 4, 2026.
• No West of Suez tanker assessments and commentaries on May 4, 2026.
• East of Suez and Americas tanker assessments and commentaries will publish as usual on that day.
• Dry Freight Wire and Containers Daily will publish on May 4, 2026, but without West of Suez dry freight assessments or commentaries, and no London-based container assessments or commentaries.
• Normal publishing schedules resume on May 5, 2026.
• Full details available in the Platts Pricing Holiday Schedule.
• Queries directed to support@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

London (Extra London News) April 23, 2026 – S&P Global Commodity Insights has announced a temporary suspension of select shipping market publications from its London offices on May 4, 2026, owing to the Early May Bank Holiday. This impacts key Platts tanker and dry freight wires, though some regional assessments persist, with full operations resuming the following day.

What Changes on May 4 Due to the Holiday?

The Early May Bank Holiday prompts a partial halt in London-based publishing activities for Platts Shipping services under S&P Global Commodity Insights. Specifically, offices in London will close entirely on that Monday, May 4, 2026, affecting daily outputs tied to the UK hub.

Platts Clean and Dirty Tankerwires, critical dailies for spot market tanker pricing and news, will cease publication on May 4.

As per the official notice, there will be no West of Suez tanker assessments or associated commentaries issued that day. East of Suez and Americas regions, however, maintain their schedules uninterrupted.

Dry Freight Wire and Containers Daily face modified outputs. These bulletins will appear, but exclude West of Suez dry freight assessments and commentaries, alongside any London-centric container market evaluations. This ensures continuity for unaffected segments while prioritising holiday observance.

Why Are London Offices Closing?

The closure aligns with the UK’s statutory Early May Bank Holiday, observed on the first Monday of May, falling on May 4 in 2026.

S&P Global Commodity Insights, publisher of Platts market data, standardises such interruptions across its pricing benchmarks to respect local observances.

This practice mirrors prior holiday adjustments, such as those detailed in Platts’ 2026 pricing holiday calendar, which outlines global suspensions and early closes. London, as a pivotal shipping intelligence hub, bears the brunt for West of Suez coverage, given its timezone and staffing.

No broader service disruptions occur globally; only London-dependent outputs pause. The decision underscores Platts’ commitment to staff welfare amid relentless daily market reporting demands in commodities shipping.

Which Publications Remain Unaffected?

Regional resilience characterises the holiday schedule. East of Suez tanker assessments and commentaries, often Singapore- or Asia-led, proceed normally on May 4.

Similarly, Americas tanker evaluations, typically Houston-based, face no interruption.

Dry Freight Wire and Containers Daily persist in limited form, covering non-London elements. This partial continuity supports transatlantic and transpacific traders reliant on real-time dry bulk and container freight indices, mitigating total blackout risks.

Platts’ global footprint—spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas—enables such segmentation. Historical precedents, like Christmas 2025 suspensions, affirm this model: no universal halts, only targeted pauses.

How Does This Impact Tanker Market Reporting?

Tankerwires form the backbone of Platts’ clean (product) and dirty (crude) tanker intelligence, aggregating routes, rates, and fixtures.

Their May 4 absence halts West of Suez updates, potentially delaying European fixture confirmations or ballast moves.

West of Suez, encompassing Atlantic and Mediterranean trades, depends on London inputs for benchmarks like TD3C (Capesize, though dry) equivalents in wet freight. Traders may pivot to forward curves or bilateral enquiries, though liquidity dips during UK holidays are routine.

East of Suez persistence aids arbitrage plays, such as VLCCs from Persian Gulf to Far East. Americas coverage safeguards US Gulf or Caribbean routes, insulating transoceanic flows from London downtime.

What About Dry Freight and Containers?

Dry Freight Wire tracks capesize, panamax, and supramax bulkers, with West of Suez routes (e.g., C5 Brazil-China) London-heavy. May 4 omits these assessments, shifting focus to prior Friday data or Tuesday extrapolations.

Containers Daily, mirroring this, skips London container indices, affecting UK-Europe or Med stacks.

Yet, publications issue sans those elements, preserving Baltic Dry Index proxies or Asian dry bulk news. Subscribers retain value in unaffected commentary, ballast reports, or vessel tracking.

This mirrors Platts’ chemicals holiday tweaks, where Europe/US pauses spare Asia, ensuring 24/7-ish coverage in a globalised freight ecosystem.

When Do Normal Schedules Resume?

Operations snap back on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, with all Platts Shipping wires—Clean, Dirty Tankerwires, Dry Freight Wire, and Containers Daily—reverting to standard cadences. West of Suez gaps fill via catch-up assessments, blending Monday fixtures with Tuesday bids/offers.

No backlog accumulation is anticipated; Platts’ Market on Close (MOC) methodology prioritises current-session data, not retrofits. Traders should anticipate fuller liquidity post-holiday, as UK brokers reconvene.

Where Can Full Details Be Found?

The definitive resource is Platts’ Pricing Holiday Schedule, a comprehensive calendar listing all 2026 disruptions. Published in December 2025, it details early closes, non-publishing days, and regional variances across commodities, not just shipping.

Access lies via S&P Global’s methodology portal, mirroring sugar or chemicals schedules (e.g., no Dec 25 sugar assessments). This transparency aids compliance for indices like those feeding ICE or CME futures.

Who to Contact for Queries?

Direct support channels stand ready. For general assistance, email support@spglobal.com; pricing-specific issues route to pricegroup@spglobal.com. These align with protocols in prior notices, ensuring prompt subscriber responses.

Platts urges pre-holiday confirmations, averting workflow snags. No phone or named contacts specified, emphasising email for audit trails in regulated markets.

Broader Context in Shipping Reporting?

Platts dominates shipping benchmarks, with Tankerwires since the 1980s shaping $ trillions in trades. Holidays like Early May test resilience; 2026’s calendar, released December 2025, preempts surprises amid volatile Red Sea/Black Sea routes.

Similar 2025 year-end halts—no Dec 26-31 chemicals commentaries—highlight patterns: London pauses cascade West, Asia endures. Dry bulk shocks, like China’s port fees, amplify need for uninterrupted data elsewhere.

Subscribers adapt via APIs or archives, but spot traders prize dailies. Neutral observers note Platts’ holiday discipline bolsters credibility, avoiding rushed outputs.

Implications for Stakeholders?

Shipowners, charterers, and analysts recalibrate. West of Suez players frontload May 1-2 fixtures; East/Americas operators proceed unfazed. Dry freight houses lean on Friday CFFAs or Tuesday reruns.