South Korean coal imports have increased 17% Q-o-Q to 37.96 MnT during the third-quarter of CY19 (Jul-Sep’19) compared with 32.55 MnT in Q2 CY19 (Apr-Jun’19). However, coal volumes were 2% lesser on the year from 38.62 MnT noted in Q3 CY19.
Despite the South Korean government’s push to move away from coal, the country had witness robust growth in non-coking coal imports amid fall in nuclear power generation — for scheduled maintenance and unexpected downtime.
The recent upsurge has stemmed a much sharper slowdown at the start of the year. Notably, in the first 9 months of CY19 (Jan-Sep’19), South Korean coal imports has slumped 7% on the year to 105.31 MnT compared with 113.35 MnT in same period of last year.
A grade-wise break up of imports indicates that South Korean non-coking coal intake increased 26% Q-o-Q to 30.26 MnT in Q3 CY19, as against 24.08 MnT in Q2 CY19.
Coking coal imports, on the other hand, had fell 9% on the quarter to 5.46 MnT in Q3 CY19, with the month of Sep’19 witnessing the lowest monthly total for CY19. Apparently, South Korean coking coal intake had decreased 56% M-o-M to 1.23 MnT in Sep’19.
| Grades | Q3 CY19 | Q2 CY19 | % Change |
| Non Coking Coal | 30.26 | 24.08 | 26% |
| Coking Coal | 5.46 | 6.03 | -9% |
| Anthracite | 1.54 | 1.76 | -13% |
| Pet Coke | 0.34 | 0.15 | 127% |
| Met Coke | 0.08 | 0.09 | -11% |
| Others | 0.28 | 0.46 | -39% |
| Grand Total | 37.96 | 32.55 | 17% |
Source: South Korean customs
Quantity in MnT
Major Coal Exporters:
Australia remained the largest coal supplier, with exports of 12.756 MnT coal to South Korea in Q3 CY19. Export volume had increased 13% Q-o-Q from 11.29 MnT in Q2 CY19, which was also 4% higher on the year from 12.22 MnT in Q3 CY18.
Russian coal exports grew 17% Q-o-Q to 8.76 MnT in Q3 CY19 as against 7.48 MnT in Q2 CY19.
Indonesia was the third-largest coal exporter in the period with supplies of 7.64 MnT coal. Coal volumes had increased 6% on the quarter from 7.18 MnT in Q2 CY19, but had fell 17% Y-o-Y from 9.21 MnT in Q3 CY18.
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