China's export container shipping index slightly down in May

SHANGHAI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China's index of export container transport edges down in May, according to the Shanghai Shipping Exchange.

The average China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI) decreased by 0.4 percent month on month to 3,117.94 in the period, said the exchange.

The sub-reading for the Persian Gulf/Red Sea service led the drop with a month-on-month decline of 14.1 percent, followed by the South Africa service, which went down 5.1 percent from the previous month.

Bucking the trend of decline, the sub-reading for the west coast America service rose 7.2 percent from that of April.

The CCFI tracks spot and contractual freight rates from Chinese container ports for 12 shipping routes across the globe, based on data from 22 international carriers.

The index was set at 1,000 on Jan. 1, 1998.