Chinese Steam Coal Imports Grow in March

Coal

Chinese steam coal imports (including anthracite) climbed to 12.7 Mt in March (+4.9 Mt year-on-year), according to data gathered by IHS. Receipts included 5.6 Mt of Australian product and 4.6 Mt from Indonesia, which gained by 3.5 Mt and 2.0 Mt on the year, respectively. However, imports of Russian steam coal declined by 0.6 Mt to 2.1 Mt.

Meanwhile, coking coal imports from Australia rose to 4.4 Mt in March from 2.2 Mt in the same month of 2019. However, total coking coal imports eased by 0.5 Mt to 5.6 Mt as imports from Mongolia tumbled to an 11-year low of less than 0.1 Mt in March amid temporary coronavirus-related border closures.