Imports fell a modest 0.1 percent in the first quarter of 2005 on declines in the amount of machinery, chemicals and clothing shipped into the Island.

According to the Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics, the Island?s supply of merchandise was valued at $227.3 million in the first quarter of 2005 compared to $227.6 in the same period of 2004.

Increases in imports of fuel, basic materials and transport equipment in the first quarter of 2005 were offset by declines in the imports of machinery, chemicals and clothing.

Fuel imports rose 35.6 percent from $19.1 million in the 2004 quarter to $25.9 million during the 2005 quarter.

The Department of Statistics said the $6.8 million rise partly reflects significant international upward pressures on the price of fuel.

Transport equipment imports also increased year-on-year, from $15.1 million in the first quarter of 2004 to $18.8 million in the first quarter of 2005.

This was consistent with strong retail sales in the motor vehicles dealers sector.

Basic materials imports increased 16.4 percent from $33.3 million in the 2004 quarter to $38.8 million in the first quarter of 2005.

In contrast, the Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics shows that the value of chemicals imported decreased 24.4 percent from $27.4 million in the first quarter of 2004 to $20.7 million a year later.

The value of clothing imported to the Island during the 2005 quarter dropped 19 percent year-on-year to $9.1 million while overseas spending on clothing jumped 57.8 percent to an all-time high of $11.9 million.

Machinery imports also declined in the first quarter of 2005, $37.8 million compared to $46 million in the 2004 first quarter.

The value of imports from the US in the first quarter of 2005 was $166.3 million a 9.3 percent decline from $183.4 million in the same period of 2004 although US imports still represented 73.2 percent of all imports to Bermuda in the first quarter of 2005.

The value of imports from the Caribbean and Canada also declined 64 percent and 9 percent respectively to $2.8 million and $9.2 million respectively in the 2005 quarter.

The value of imports from the UK increased 18.7 percent or $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2005, due mostly to increased imports of transport equipment as locals embraced new rules allowing the importation of bigger cars.

The falling US dollar and rising British pound also played into this figure.

The 35.6 percent rise in fuel imports caused imports from all other countries to more than double from $19.1 million in the first quarter of 2004 to $21.6 million this year.