Australia: Coal Exports Down 6% M-o-M in Oct’17

Australia, the world’s largest coal exporter, has witnessed a decline of 6% M-o-M in Oct’17 coal exports, as per the data provided by the customs.

Coal exports have fell to 30.28 MnT in Oct’17 from 32.3 MnT in Sep’17, and have been falling on the monthly basis since Jul’17. On the yearly basis, Oct’17 exports were 1% higher than the coal shipments of 30.03 MnT recorded in Oct’16.

Total coal exports from the country was down 4% Y-o-Y to 304.19 MnT during Jan’17-Oct’17, compared with 316.85 MnT in Jan’16-Oct’16 period.

The ongoing congestion at Australia’s Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) is still posing difficulties in coal exports. According to the information received, the number of waiting coal vessels at the DBCT has gone up to 70, which was 45 two weeks ago. The congestion has resulted from the strong demand for coal imports as a buzz of a possible cyclone occurrence in Australia is doing the rounds.

Grade-wise Coal Exports:
Australia is the major exporter of both Coking and Non-Coking grade of coal. However, Exports of both these coal grades have fallen in Oct’17.

Non-Coking coal exports were down 1% M-o-M to 16.74 MnT, whereas Coking coal exports decreased 12% M-o-M to 13.54 MnT in Oct’17.

Source: Australian Customs
Quantity in MnT

Major Coal Importers:
Japan remained the top coal importer of Australian coal. Japanese coal imports were recorded 9.84 MnT in Oct’17, down 4% M-o-M compared with 10.26 MnT in Sep’17. On the yearly basis, imports slipped 1% from the levels achieved during Oct’16.

Coal imports from China, the second-largest consumer of Australian coal, increased 25% M-o-M to 8.1 MnT in Oct’17, which were also 44% higher on the year compared with 5.62 MnT in Oct’16.

South Korea was the third-largest coal receiver, with imports of 3.46 MnT coal in Oct’17.Imports from the country were down both on the monthly as well as on the yearly basis.

Source: Australian Customs