According to the data provided by Indian Port Association (IPA), coal imports at the country’s 12 major ports have decreased 2% on the year to 53.249 MnT during Apr-Jul’19 compared with 54.149 MnT noted in Apr-Jul’18 period.
The 12 major ports of India listed under IPA include: Kolkata (Kolkata and Haldia dock both combined), Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Kamajar (Ennore), Chennai, V O Chidambaranar, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mormugao, Mumbai, J.N.P.T and Kandla (now Deendayal).
Imports levels have drastically slowed down contrary to the previous fiscal, wherein a y-o-y growth of 17% was recorded during the Apr-Jul’18 period.
A grade-wise break-up of imports indicates that intake of thermal and steam coal shipments at ports had fell 10% Y-o-Y to 33.047 MnT in the first 4-month period of FY20 (Apr-Jul’19). On the other hand, imports of Coking and other coal had gone up 16% Y-o-Y to 20.202 MnT.
Apparently, with improved coal stock levels at power plants, demand for thermal coal has come to a plateau, thereby lessening the pressure on part of the power sector to boost imports. Thermal coal volume was recorded 21% lower on the month at 5.983 MnT in Jul’19.
Major Coal Receiving Ports:
Among the individual ports, Paradip remained the largest coal receiver in the first 4-months of FY20, although coal shipments of 14.449 MnT recorded in the period was down 9% Y-o-Y from 15.843 MnT in Apr-Jul’18.
Kolkata was the second-largest coal receiver during Apr-Jul’19, wherein fall in thermal coal intake was balanced by an appreciable rise in coking coal shipments. Ennore port with imports of 7.22 MnT coal, emerged as the third largest coal receiver.
No coal shipments have been recorded at the JNPT, Cochin and Chennai ports so far in FY20.
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