According to the vessel line-up data maintained with CoalMint research, South African coal export shipment from RBCT port observed a surge 13% m-o-m basis from 6.05 MnT in March against 5.37 MnT in the previous month of February 2020.
The coal export shipment from the country to India took a hit by 8% m-o-m basis amid tepid demand from the sponge iron manufacturers in India.
Due to poor demand from India, South Africa diverted its coal shipment to other countries such as Pakistan, Srilanka, Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Malaysia.
In first quarter of CY20 (Jan-Mar), South African coal export shipments have recorded a plunge of 3% y-o-y basis from 1.89 MnT in Q1 CY19 to 1.82 MnT in Q1 CY29.
An important change that is being observed is that the RBCT’s coal export shipment to South Korea remained nil in Q1 CY20 while last year the country had exported about 3.2 MnT of coal to South Korea.
This drop in exports can be attributed to South Korea’s decision to shut 15 coal-fired power plants between Dec’19 to Feb’20 in an effort to limit air pollution over winter. Adding to the exporters’ woes, the country has extended the closure of 28 coal-fired plants this month also.
Situation at RBCT port amid lockdown
Although the South African government has allowed its ports to operate amid ongoing national lockdown for 21 days (till 17 April), ports are not taking any new vessel in large numbers at anchorage position and as per sources only four more vessels are expected this week.
At present, a total of 24 vessels are at anchorage position (which include other commodity vessels too) and only 1 coal vessel is added in last two days.
Currently 6 coal vessels are at berthing position which is less than the average 10-11 ships in normal conditions.
Most of the vessels which were expected to report at ports are either cancelled, diverted or stopped at Singapore Dubai or other ports.
Export vessels next voyage schedule is also affected and are reporting late due to force majeure in most of the country, which leads to delay in discharge of the vessel from port and reporting to other country port in time.
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