Coal news and updates

Pet coke imports via Chennai Port drop 40.95% in Feb m-o-m

March 14: Petroleum coke imports through Chennai Port dropped 40.95% to 62 tons in February 2014 against 105 tons reported in the previous month of January, as per provisional information available with ICMW.

With this, the quantum of pet coke imports via this port in the first 11 months of 2013-14 comprised 2,326 tons against 2,673 tons recorded for the same period in the previous fiscal.

Coal handling at Chennai Port has been suspended since October 2012 following a ban imposed by the Madras High Court on handling of dirty cargo of coal and iron ore at the port with effect from October 1, 2011. The court order came following the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL). However, old stocks are getting cleared.

The following table contains the month-wise import figures of pet coke via Chennai port during 2013-14 and 2012-13:

In February, pet coke imports comprised 41 tons from China at Rs 30,805 - Rs 43,616 ($489-$693) per ton and 18 tons from Sweden at a unit price of Rs 74,388 ($1,182) per ton. The balance volumes arrived in small quantities from Japan and the UK.

In January, 102 tons of calcined pet coke arrived from China at a price range of Rs 30,805 - Rs 46,583 ($494-$747) per ton and the balance 3 tons from Japan at Rs 301,688 ($4,839) per ton.