Coal news and updates

India’s 2015 coal imports surpass 210-mt levels

January 5: Driven by a sharp rise in steam coal imports, India’s total coal and coke imports in calendar 2014 through 31 major and non-major ports are estimated to have crossed the 210-million-tons (mt) level, according to a compilation (provisional) by ICMW, based on monitoring of vessels’ positions and data received from shipping companies.

Total imports in 2014 jumped to 210.55 mt (provisional), up 19% from 176.97 mt in 2013, the data revealed.

Of the total imports during the year, steam coal stood at 162.96 mt (provisional), up 22% from 133.54 mt imported in 2013 whereas coking coal imports in 2014 rose to 37.06 mt, up 4.04% from 35.62 mt in 2013.

There was also a sharp increase in imports of anthracite coal, PCI, met coke and pet coke during the year 2014.

According to the compilation, imports of anthracite surged to 1.62 mt in 2014 from 0.75 mt in 2013 whereas PCI imports spurted to 2.14 mt from 1.89 mt in the period under review.

Imports of met coke rose to 2.66 mt in 2014 from 2.39 mt in 2013 whereas petroleum coke imports surged to 4.11 mt in 2014 from 2.78 mt in 2013.

Meanwhile, total imports during the first nine months (April-December) of financial year 2014-15 stood at 167.60 mt, up 20.89% from 138.64 mt imported during the corresponding period of 2013-14.

Imports of steam coal during the nine months of 2014-15 stood at 131.73 mt, up 24.87% from 105.49 mt recorded in the same period of 2013-14 while coking coal imports stood at 28.47 mt, up marginally from 27.21 mt during the period under review.

Anthracite imports between April and December (2014-15) stood at 0.76 mt, up from 0.60 mt whereas PCI imports rose to 1.55 mt from 1.24 mt.

Imports of met coke during the first nine months of 2014-15 are estimated to have declined to 1.74 mt from 1.97 mt seen during the corresponding period of 2013-14 whereas pet coke imports surged to 3.35 mt from a low of 2.13 mt in the previous financial year.

The following table provides detailed break-up of imports in 2013; 2014; April-December, 2014-15; April-December, 2013-14; December 2014 and December 2013 (in mt):