Coal news and updates

India hogs 57% of S Africa’s Oct coal imports pie

November 7: India’s accounted for more than 57% of the total coal volumes exported through South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) in the month of October 2014, according to data made available to ICMW.

Total exports through RBCT in October stood at 6.39 million tons (mt) of which 3.66 mt or 57.28% came to India, according to the data.

In fact, India’s imports from South Africa in October jumped 62.67% to 3.66 million tons (mt) compared to 2.25 mt imported in September.

Imports during the month were also up nearly 61.23% compared to only 2.27 mt imported in October 2013.

After a gradual decline in imports by India, so far, its share in the overall exports through RBCT fell by 33.64% in September 2014 from 41.50% in August, 52.78% in July and 50.83% in June. However, a sudden spurt in imports has been noticed in October.

India’s coal imports through South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) during the first ten months (January-October) of 2014 jumped nearly 33.56% to 24.23 million tons (mt) from 18.14 mt imported during the corresponding period of 2013, according to data made available to ICMW by one of the promoters of the terminal.

Going by the current trend, India’s coal imports from South Africa are set to take a major leap from last year’s import figures.

The decline in imports in 2013 was largely on account of a spurt in coal prices in the second quarter of the year and a sharp depreciation in the Indian currency that made imports highly expensive for Indian companies.

However, the situation has changed a lot since then and not only have prices softened to a great extent, there is also a semblance of stability in the Indian currency which has, to some extent, encouraged higher imports in 2014.

Calendar-wise, India’s coal imports from South Africa stood at 21.45 mt in 2012, 16.13 mt in 2011, 20.99 mt in 2010 and at 17.84 mt in 2009.

Where the financial years are concerned, India’s coal imports from South Africa stood at 20.45 mt in 2013-14, at 21.16 mt in 2012-13 and at 17.35 mt in 2011-12.

In October, 38 vessels had sailed from RBCT for India as against 23 vessels in September and 25 vessels in August.

Of the 38 vessels in October, 8 (991,585 tons) came to Dhamra Port, 6 (723,668 tons) to Gangavaram Port, 4 (560,000 tons) to Krishnapatnam, 5 (354,130 tons) to Paradip and six (443,991 tons) to Vizag Port amongst others.

Following are the details of India's monthly coal imports from RBCT in 2014 and 2013 (in tons):