On Wednesday, a China-Europe international rail freight train loaded with 29 containers containing 290 Chinese-made cars departed from the Shalyan Logistics Park located in Huh-Hoto city /adm. center of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, North China/.

This is the first China-Europe train, specially designed for car transportation, departed from Huh-Hoto. It will arrive in Moscow via the Alashankou checkpoint in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region /Northwest China/.

n index of export container transportation / in May 2024 increased by 14.3 percent. compared to the previous month, showed the data of the Shanghai Shipping Exchange.

At the end of last month, the average index of export container transportation amounted to 1358.71, the exchange said.

During the period, the subindex of routes to West Africa showed the highest growth, increasing by 53.3 percent in monthly terms.

It is followed by subindices of routes to South America and South Africa, which increased by 50.6 percent and 29.6 percent, respectively, in monthly terms.

On January 1, 1998, this index was set at 1,000.

China's Air China has increased the frequency of flights to the UK by adding a direct route between Beijing's Shoudou International Airport and London's Gatwick Airport.

A ceremony to launch the air route was held at Gatwick Airport on Saturday. Flight CA851/2 will operate once a day.

Jonathan Pollard, commercial director of Gatwick Airport, which is the second largest airport in Britain, said the increase in the number of flights on the London -- Beijing route will promote exchanges and cooperation between Britain and China in the fields of trade and tourism, Xinhua Correspondent Jonathan Pollard told Xinhua.

“I believe today's new service is indicative of the growth we are seeing in the UK and Chinese markets,” he added.

According to an Air China press release given to Xinhua on Sunday, nearly 250 passengers took a direct flight to Beijing the day before. Many of them were on their first trip to China since the pandemic to visit relatives, vacation or for business purposes.

中国国际航空公司增加了飞往英国的航班频率，开通了北京首都国际机场和伦敦盖特威克机场之间的直飞航线。

该航线的开通仪式于周六在盖特威克机场举行。CA851/2 航班每天一班。

英国第二大机场盖特威克机场商务总监乔纳森-波拉德

对新华社记者说，伦敦-北京航线航班数量的增加将促进英中两国在贸易和旅游领域的交流与合作。

“他补充说：”我相信今天的新航线表明了我们在英国和中国市场看到的增长。

根据国航周日向新华社提供的一份新闻稿，近 250 名乘客在前一天搭乘了直飞北京的航班。其中许多人是疫情发生后第一次来中国探亲、度假或出差。

In this week's “Shipping Number of the Week” from BIMCO, Shipping Analyst Filipe Gouveia examines the substantial impact of limited daily transits in the Panama Canal on the dry bulk market.

Between January and April 2024, transits decreased by 74% year-over-year, leading to a 31% year-over-year increase in sailing distances for affected routes, despite a 25% year-over-year decline in cargo volume.

“The limits in daily transits in the Panama Canal have significantly affected the dry bulk market, with transits down 74% y/y between January and April 2024. During this period, sailing distances for completed voyages in the affected routes rose 31% y/y, while the cargo volume dropped 25% y/y. Overall, tonne mile demand for these routes fell 1% y/y,” commented Filipe Gouveia, a shipping analyst at BIMCO.

Due to low water levels in Lake Gatun, restrictions have been imposed on the number of transits permitted through the Panama Canal, with a maximum draught level of 13.4 meters. Normally, between 34 and 38 ships traverse the canal daily at draught levels of 15.2 meters. At the beginning of the year, only 22 daily transits were allowed. However, by April, the number had increased to 27 transits, and it currently stands at 31 transits.

The dry bulk sector has felt the brunt of the reduced transits due to its market's unpredictable nature. Unlike container ships, which typically adhere to fixed schedules, bulk carriers face challenges in securing transit slots through the canal. Consequently, many dry bulk operators have opted to reroute their vessels, choosing to sail around the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn instead. This decision has led to longer sailing distances and increased demand in alternative routes.

“If sailing distances had not increased, the lower cargo volumes would have caused a 2% decrease in tonne mile demand for segments smaller than capesize. That would have been a significant downward pressure on freight rates for these segments and could have prevented the 20-30% y/y jump in the segments’ Baltic indices recorded between January and April,” added Gouveia.

The decline in cargo volumes during this period was primarily attributed to reduced grain shipments from the US to East Asia. China's increased grain purchases from Brazil, typically transported via the Cape of Good Hope route, contributed to this trend. Grains presently constitute 34% of the cargo passing through the Panama Canal, with the majority originating from the US.

Coal, steel, fertilizers, and petcoke are other significant dry bulk cargoes commonly traversing the Panama Canal. Despite the imposed restrictions, shipments of steel and fertilizer through the canal have largely maintained stability.

“The disruptions in the Panama Canal could soon come to an end, ahead of the maize and soya bean harvests in the US in September. On 1 June, the daily transits through the Panama Canal will increase yet again to 32 transits per day and the ongoing rainy season in Panama could lead to further increases. As conditions normalise and sailing distances shorten, we may see a decline in demand for ships on the affected routes,” explained Gouveia.