Coal news and updates

India’s Aug coal imports via S Africa fall 9.47% m-o-m

September 15: Indian companies imported a total of 2,590,690 tons of coal from South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) during August 2014, showing a fall of 9.47% from 2,861,772 tons imported in July, according to data made available to ICMW by one of the promoters of the terminal.

This quantum constituted as much as 41.5% of the total coal exported through RBCT during August 2014.

Imports in August were, however, almost double compared to 1,108,378 tons reported in August 2013.

For the first eight months of 2014, total imports by Indian companies from South Africa stood at 18,313,899 tons, up nearly 24.57% from 14,701,762 tons imported during the corresponding period of 2013.

In fact, India’s coal imports from South Africa declined marginally to 20.45 million tons (mt) in 2013-14 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 the Indian currency that made exports highly expensive.

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

During August 2014, out of 25 vessels, three (453,560 tons) sailed for Dhamra Port, three (411,555 tons) for Gangavaram Port and three (208,415 tons) for Vizag Port amongst others.

However, in July 2014, out of 27 vessels, three (439,193 tons) sailed for Krishnapatnam Port, four (641,459 tons) for Dhamra Port and three (232,517 tons) for New Mangalore Port amongst others.

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