June 22 - In its latest monthly shipping index, Skelton Sherborne reports that mining equipment imports remain resilient, whilst the import of smaller civil works equipment is down somewhat in some sectors.
While mining equipment imports are proving to be resilient, the Australian project forwarder says that machinery import volumes in May decreased by six percent overall to 2,208 units.
Skelton Sherborne says that significant movements in various categories saw tracked crane imports increase by 71 percent; mobile crane imports by 254 percent; grader and crusher imports up by 51 percent and 88 percent, respectively; whilst imports of scrapers fell by 36 percent and imports of other earthmoving machines decreased by 47 percent.
The full report can be viewed here:http://www.skeltonsherborne.com/Library/Documents/ShippingIndex/SkeltonSherborneShippingIndexMay2012.pdf
Commenting on the the Australian Federal Government's recent passing of various bills surrounding coastal trade, the company says that these have increased costs to carriers and have the potential to cause the demise of competition on this particular shipping route.
The company notes that one of the largest ro-ro carriers in the coastal trade, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, will be continuing its coastal trade service from the east to west coasts of Australia.
