Coal news and updates

Pak pips China to emerge 2nd largest buyer of SA coal till Sept

October 7: Renewed thrust by Pakistan to improve coal supplies to its power plants appears to have augured well for South African coal miners as the former has emerged the second-largest buyer of South African coal, after India, during the first nine months of 2014.

In fact, Pakistan has pushed China to third spot among Asian countries so far as importing of coal from South Africa is concerned.

According to data provided to ICMW by one of the promoters of Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), Pakistan’s coal imports from South Africa during the first nine months of 2014 stood at 2,688,298 tons as against China’s imports of 2,492,629 tons during the same period

Incidentally, Pakistan’s coal imports from South Africa during the corresponding period of 2013 stood at only 1,596,852 tons, indicating it has taken huge strides in so far as importing coal from South Africa is concerned

It augurs well for Pakistan to import coal from South Africa instead of Indonesia, because of competitive freight rates and better quality of coal, industry sources said.

Following table provides monthly details of coal imports by Pakistan from RBCT in 2014 and 2013 (in tons):