China’s coastal bulk freight index up 0.8% in 1 week

China’s coastal bulk freight costs rose slightly in the week ending May 10th, with the composite index rising by 0.8 per cent to 991.48 compared to the previous week, Xinhua reported on Sunday, citing data from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange.

The sub-index for coal transport, a key indicator for bulk freight, saw a slightly larger rise of 1.4 per cent to 984.01.

The SSE established the coastal bulk freight index in 2001 with the guidance of China’s Ministry of Transport. It serves as a benchmark for tracking fluctuations in the domestic coastal shipping market.