Chinese Steam and Coking Coal Imports Breakdown

Coal

Chinese steam coal imports (including lignite and anthracite) plunged by 10.4 Mt year-on-year to 13.5 Mt in August, according to data compiled by IHS. Imports from Australia tumbled by 3.6 Mt to a year-to-date low of 3.0 Mt, while shipments from Indonesia were down by 5.8 Mt at 7.2 Mt. After a strong start to the year, steam coal imports from all sources fell by a combined 22.6 Mt over May-August.

Meanwhile, the country’s coking coal imports fell 1.9 Mt to 7.2 Mt last month. Arrivals of Australian supplies fell 1.5 Mt and those from Russia were flat. Receipts in the first eight months softened by 0.5 Mt to 52.7 Mt, the first registered year-to-date annual decline of 2020.