Coal news and updates

Pet coke imports via Chennai up 44.28% in April m-o-m

May 28: Petroleum coke imports through Chennai Port increased 44.28% to 101 tons in April 2014 against 70 tons reported in the previous month of March, as per provisional information available with ICMW.

Imports of the material in April 2013 stood at 275 tons.

Total imports in fiscal 2013-14 were at 2,396 tons.

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

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.

In March, 2 tons had arrived from Japan in a range of Rs 30,560 - Rs 31,507 ($493-501) per ton, 61 tons from China in a band of Rs 30,805 - Rs 48,554 ($489-783) per ton and 7 tons from the UK at a unit price of Rs 53,072 ($859).

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.