SHANGHAI, May 10 (Xinhua) — China’s coastal bulk freight index rose 1.4 percent month on month in April, data from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE) shows.
Last month, the composite index for coastal bulk freight, which measures transportation costs in the coastal shipping market, stood at 974.88, according to the SSE.
During this period, the sub-index for coal logged a notable month-on-month increase of 3.1 percent.
The sub-index for refined oil fell 2.6 percent from the previous month, while the figure for crude oil dipped by 0.5 percent monthly.
The sub-indices for grain and metal ore dropped 1 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively, from the previous month, the data reveals.
The SSE initiated the index in 2001, under the guidance of the Ministry of Transport, to fully reflect fluctuations in the Chinese coastal transport market.