China’s coastal bulk freight market saw increased overall demand in March, data from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE) showed.
On a monthly basis, the composite index for coastal bulk freight, which measures transportation costs in the coastal shipping market, rose 16.1 percent to 1,215.81.
The sub-index for coal saw the most notable increase of 23.8 percent, followed by that for grain and metal ore.
The sub-index for refined oil edged down 0.3 percent, while that for crude oil remained flat over a month earlier, according to the exchange.
In 2021, the composite index for coastal bulk freight averaged 1,299.35, SSE data showed.
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.
Source: Xinhua
