Coal news and updates

Pet coke imports via Chennai rise 24.78% in Dec m-o-m

January 14: Petroleum coke imports through Chennai Port rose 24.78% to 141 tons in December 2013 against 113 tons reported in the previous month, as per provisional information available with ICMW.

With this, the quantum of pet coke imports via this port in the first nine months of 2013-14 comprised 2,159 tons against 2,059 tons recorded for the same period in the previous fiscal.

Coal handling at Chennai port has been suspended since October last year following a ban imposed by the Madras High Court on handling of dirty cargo like coal and iron ore, 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 at the port.

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

In December, 122 tons arrived from China in a price band of Rs 25,893 - Rs 42,473 ($409-$678) per ton, 8 tons from Sweden at a unit price of Rs 75,508 ($1,200) and a mere 2 tons from Japan at Rs 322,220 ($5,172) per ton.

In November, the volumes arrived mainly from Germany in a price band of Rs 58,941 - Rs 68,807 ($948 - $1,106) per ton. The balance 0.30 tons arrived from Japan at a unit price of Rs 312,165 ($4,947).