Coal news and updates

Colombian August thermal coal exports fall 9% on year to 6.4 mt

Colombian thermal coal exports for August decreased 8.6% year on year to 6.416 million mt following a fall in shipments to the Netherlands, Turkey and Chile, but rose 2% month on month, data from Colombian shipping agent Deep Blue showed.

Exports to the Netherlands in August dropped 16% year on year to 1.252 million mt, but jumped 75% from July's yearly low, the data showed late Monday.

Shipments to Turkey fell to a four-month low at 685,238 mt, down 6% from the same month in 2014 and 30% lower from July.

Colombian coal destined to Chile slumped 56% year on year to 274,765 mt, its lowest monthly volume this year, down 43% month on month.

Exports to the UK surged 49% year on year to 536,797 mt in August, its highest level since February, and almost jumped five times from July's monthly volume.

The UK had slashed coal intake since the country increased the price floor on its Carbon Price Support Mechanism from GBP9.54/mt to GBP18.08/mt of CO2 in April.

Coal shipments from the country's largest miner, Cerrejon's Puerto Bolivar terminal, fell to the lowest level this year to 2.156 million mt, down 23% year on year and 32% lower from July.

Puerto Drummond exports shed 3% year on year to 2.122 million mt, up 4% month on month.

Puerto Nuevo, owned by Glencore unit Prodeco, shipped 1.791 million mt, its highest monthly level since February, down 6% year on year and 86% higher month on month.

Shipments from third-party port Carbosan-Sociedad Portuaria de Santa Marta tripled year on year to 346,220 mt and more than doubled month on month. The monthly August average for Platts FOB Colombia 6,000 kcal/kg NAR thermal coal price was $49.65/mt, 5% lower from July's $52.34/mt.

The weekly FOB Colombia 6,000 kcal/kg NAR price was last assessed at $49/mt last Friday, 85 cents lower week on week.

In August, Colombian coking coal exports fell 28% year on year to 49,890 mt, Deep Blue data showed. Coke exports fell 56% year on year to 153,173 mt.

source: http://www.platts.com