May 14 (Reuters) - The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index that tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities slipped to a more than one-week low on Tuesday, pressured by weaker demand across all vessel segments.
- The overall index .BADI , which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, dipped 73 points, or 3.53%, to 1,993, its lowest level since May 3.
- The capesize index .BACI slipped 177 points, or 5.69%, to 2,931.
- Average daily earnings for capesize vessels .BATCA , which typically transport 150,000-ton cargoes of iron ore and coal, among others, decreased $1,462 to $24,311.
- The panamax index .BPNI was down 39 points, or about 1.93%, at 1,978 for the second consecutive session.
- Average daily earnings for panamax vessels .BPWT , which usually carry about 60,000-70,000 tons of coal or grain cargo, lost $358 to $17,799.
- Among smaller vessels, the supramax index .BSIS eased 10 points, or 0.67%, to 1,475.
- U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled a bundle of steep tariff increases on an array of Chinese imports, including electric vehicles, computer chips and medical products.
- "U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods are unlikely to significantly affect dry bulk shipping, but China's potential retaliation targeting U.S. grain exports could have a more substantial impact," Filipe Gouveia, a shipping analyst at BIMCO told Reuters.
