Coal news and updates

South Africa’s October coal exports fall 16.58% m-o-m

December 6: After registering a 30.55% increase in October on the back of an 8% and 16.21% decline in September and August respectively, exports of coal through the Richards Bay Coal Terminal in South Africa fell 16.58% in November, according to data made available to ICMW by one of the promoters of the terminal.

The exports in November fell to 6,068,566 tons from 7,274,907 tons recorded in October due to the sharp fall in exports to India, Taiwan, Italy and China even as exports to ARA countries, Israel, Spain and the UAE increased sharply.

Exports during the month were also down 6.58% compared to 6,496,279 tons reported in the corresponding month of 2012, according to data available with ICMW.

Total coal exports through RBCT during the first 11 months (January-November) stood at 63,251,447 tons, up 2.67% from 61,608,818 tons exported during the corresponding period in 2012.

Total exports via RBCT in 2012 stood at 68.44 mt, up 5.88% compared to 64.64 mt in 2011.

The current trend indicates that exports through RBCT in 2013, which were initially expected to be much higher, would almost touch the previous year’s figure following lower than expected imports by India and China.

In financial year 2012-13, exports through RBCT stood at 68.71 mt, up 2.22% from 67.22 mt in 2011-12.

Following are the details of monthly coal exports through RBCT in 2013 and 2012 (in tons):