ION Commodities relaunches Softmar as volatility reshapes global freight trading

ION Commodities, a global leader in energy and commodity management solutions, is relaunching Softmar as a SaaS platform, expanding beyond chartering and operations to address the new realities of freight management. Volatility, sanctions, and tougher emissions and regulatory rules are redefining freight markets. Rate swings are squeezing shipowners’ margins, while traders grapple with rising costs and compliance obligations. This unpredictability has amplified freight’s role, making it one of the most critical variables in global commodity supply chains. Firms relying on spreadsheets, ERP systems, or static models often underestimate their exposure — leaving them vulnerable to losses and compliance failures. Softmar addresses these challenges by unifying chartering, voyage management, and freight risk management across dry bulk, liquids, and gas commodities in a single solution. A key enhancement is the introduction of Profit-at-Risk (PaR) analytics, designed specifically for ...