Coal news and updates

UK March thermal coal imports down 87% y-o-y

The UK imported 306,401 tonnes of thermal coal in March, plunging 87% year on year and down 53% from February, Platts reported , citing customs data.

During January-March this year, the UK imported 1.64 million tonnes of thermal coal, down 80% compared to the first quarter 2015.

The UK's thermal coal imports have been declining since the doubling of its Carbon Price Support mechanism in April 2015, decreasing coal's competitiveness for power generation. A number of coal-fired power plants are also set to close in 2016, lowering demand further.

During March, the UK imported 137,033 tonnes of Russian thermal coal, dropping 87% from a year ago and down 51% from February to a six-month low.

Colombia delivered 99,874 tonnes to the UK in March, falling 89% on the year and 70% lower than the previous month.

No coal has been received from the US or South Africa in 2016 so far.

source; http://en.sxcoal.com