Coal news and updates

Tough to find alternatives for Russian thermal coal, says Japan utilities group head

Alternatives for Russian thermal coal are difficult to find as the market is getting tighter, the head of a group representing Japanese utilities said.

“We want the government to provide maximum support (on the issue),” Kazuhiro Ikebe, the chairman of Japan’s federation of electric utilities, told a news conference.

The Japanese government said earlier this month that it would ban coal imports from Russia in a broad escalation of sanctions after gradually reducing imports while looking for alternative suppliers.