Coal news and updates

India accounts for 62% of SA’s May coal export

June 17: Indian companies purchased as much as 62% of the total coal exported through South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) during the month of May 2014, according  to data made available to ICMW by one of the promoters of the terminal.

According to the data, a total of 3,156,284 tons of coal went to India from RBCT, up 19.14% compared with 2,649,303 tons in April 2014.

The import in May 2014 was, however, 81.35% higher compared with 1,740,423 tons imported in May 2013.

In fact, India and Pakistan (435,623 tons) accounted for slightly more than 70% of total coal exported through the terminal during the month, the data revealed.

For the first five months of 2014, the total import by Indian companies from South Africa stood at 10,361,417 tons, up nearly 59% from 6,523,850 tons imported during the corresponding period of 2013.

“A stable price in the international markets and comparatively strong Indian rupee compared to the US Dollar encouraged Indian companies to go for higher imports of South African coal,” a market source in India believes.

“In addition, the prospect of a stable government in India after the General elections, the results of which was declared on May 16, and expectation of an improvement in economic activity in the country had also prompted Indian companies to procure South African cargo in higher quantity,” said another source.

In fact, India’s coal import from South had declined marginally to 20.45 million tons (mt) in 2013-14 as compared to 21.16 mt in 2012-13 largely due to a sharp increase in international coal prices in the first quarter of 2013-14 and a sharp depreciation in Indian currency that made exports highly expensive.

India’s coal import from South Africa stood at 17.35 mt in 2011-12.

In May 2015, a total of 30 vessels sailed from RBCT for various ports of India as compared to 26 vessels in April 2014 and only 14 vessels in May 2014, according to data available with ICMW.

Of the total 30 vessels in May 2014, four vessels (634,284 tons) had sailed for Dhamra Port on the eastern coal of India, five vessels (728,408 tons) to Krishnapatnam, five vessels ( 375,430 tons) to New Mangalore, two vessels each to Paradip (158,535 tons), Pipavav (109,377 tons) and Goa (167,706 tons).

One vessel each came to Dahej (75015 tons), Gangavaram (159,213 tons), Jaigarh (155607 tons),  Tuticorin (54,126 tons) and Vizag (55,000) while the destination of five vessels (483,683 tons) could not be immediately ascertained.

Of the total 26 vessels in April 2014, four had sailed for Gangavaram Port, three for Krishnapatnam port, three for New Mangalore port and two for Pipavav port among others.

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