Coal news and updates

Sharp increase in Pet coke imports via Chennai in Nov

December 26: Petroleum coke imports through Chennai Port increased sharply for the month of November to 1,039 tons against a volume of 87 tons in October 2014, as per provisional information available with ICMW.

Imports of the material in November 2013 stood at 113 tons.

Imports of pet coke through the port in the first eight months of the current financial year stood at 3,128 tons as against 2,018 tons imported in the same period of the 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 November, 956 tons came from China at a price range of Rs 21,882-Rs 44,890 ($350-$717) per ton, 59 tons arrived from Germany at a price range of Rs 45,692-Rs 47,961 ($ 738- $766) per ton, 18 tons arrived from Sweden at Rs 72,071 ($1,161-$ 1,162) a ton and balance 7 tons arrived from the UK at a unit price of Rs 52,384 ($846).

In October, 61 tons arrived from China in a range of Rs 30,805-Rs 46,063 ($494-742), 24 tons from Germany at a unit price of Rs 46,805 ($754) and the remaining 3 tons from Japan in a band of Rs 286,804-315,217 ($4,604 – 5,080) per ton.

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.