Coal news and updates

Pet coke imports via Chennai up 13.86% m-o-m in May

June 19: Petroleum coke imports through Chennai Port increased 13.86% to 115 tons in May 2014 against a quantum of 101 tons recorded in April, as per provisional information available with ICMW.

In March, volume of pet coke imports through the port stood at 70 tons.

Imports of the material in May 2013 stood at 1,154 tons.
Imports of pet coke through the port in the first two months of the current financial year stood at 2016 tons as against 1,426 tons imported in the same period of previous fiscal (2013-14).

The following table contains the month-wise import figures of pet coke via Chennai port during 2013-14 and 2014-15:

In May 102 tons arrived from China at a price range of Rs 30,805-Rs 44,680($506-$733), 2 tons from Japan at a unit price of Rs 30,399($500) and balance 11 tons arrived from arrived from UK at a price range of Rs 51,939-Rs 53,282 ($864-$887).

In April, 82 tons arrived from China in a price band of Rs 30,805 – Rs 23,811 ($510-394) per ton, 18 tons from Sweden at a unit price of Rs 72,970 ($1207) while one ton arrived from Japan for which no price could be recorded.

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 public interest litigation (PIL). However, old stocks are getting cleared.