Coal news and updates

Pet coke imports via Chennai fall 13.60% in Sept m-o-m

October 21: Petroleum coke imports through Chennai port fell 13.60% to 127 tons in September 2013 against 147 tons recorded in August 2013, as per provisional information available with ICMW.

Coal handling at Chennai port has been suspended since October last year following a ban imposed by the Madras High Court on handling of dirty cargo of coal and iron ore at this port with effect from October 1, 2011. The court order came following the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL). However, old stocks are getting cleared at the port.

With this, pet coke imports via Chennai in the first six months of the current financial year are at 1,865 tons while the volumes were at 1,363 tons in the corresponding period in the previous fiscal.

The following table contains the month-wise import figures of pet coke via Chennai port during 2013-14 and 2012-13:

 
In September 2013, imports included 102 tons from China in a price range of Rs 28760 – Rs 30,805 ($451-$483) per ton, 24 tons from Germany at a unit price of Rs 51,902 ($775) and around 1 ton from Japan at a unit price of Rs 327,511 ($4,888).

In August 2013, however, 121 tons arrived from China in a price band of Rs 25,605 – Rs 44,221 ($416-$714) per ton, 24 tons came in from Germany at a unit price of Rs 52,081 ($846) and 0.6 tons came from Japan at Rs 305,545 ($4936) per ton.