- Vessel arrivals improve along east coast
- West coast ports show mixed movements
India’s portside thermal coal inventories rose 2.2% w-o-w to 12.84 mnt in Week 46 (10-16 November) from 12.57 mnt in Week 45, supported by improved vessel arrivals at key east coast ports, while the west coast showed mixed trends amid selective inflows and steady dispatches.
East coast sees steady build-up
The east coast recorded clear gains, with Paradip rising 4.9% to 1.68 mnt from 1.60 mnt, and Dhamra increasing 9% to 1.40 mnt. Haldia rose 14.6% to 0.21 mnt, while Karaikal improved 10.3% to 0.32 mnt.
However, a few ports softened: Vizag dropped 9.2% to 0.89 mnt from 0.99 mnt, and Gangavaram fell sharply by 27.7% to 0.14 mnt as dispatches outpaced arrivals. Krishnapatnam saw the steepest decline, falling 56.9% to 0.09 mnt.
West coast mixed amid varying port inflows
The west coast displayed a combination of replenishment and drawdowns. Hazira rose slightly by 0.8% to 1.97 mnt, while Mangalore increased 9.1% to 0.42 mnt. Magdalla witnessed a notable 15.4% rise to 0.60 mnt, and Tuna climbed 24.7% to 0.18 mnt.
On the other hand, Kandla registered the sharpest fall on the west coast, down 23.5% to 0.43 mnt, followed by Navlakhi (-5.3%) at 0.96 mnt and Dahej (-4.8%) at 1.00 mnt. Mundra dipped marginally by 1.7% to 0.69 mnt.
Jamnagar stood out with a strong rebound, surging 187% to 0.36 mnt from 0.12 mnt last week.
Kakinada (though on the east coast operationally but often grouped commercially) rose 47.1% to 0.35 mnt.
Company-wise update
Adani Enterprises’ portside inventories increased 5.2% w-o-w to 3.36 mnt from 3.19 mnt.
Agarwal Coal also saw a rise of 3% to 1.08 mnt, compared with 1.05 mnt in Week 45.
Market update: South African, Indonesian thermal coal prices
South African portside prices moved up last week, with RB2 increasing to INR 8,300-8,400/t across Paradip, Vizag, and Gangavaram, supported by firmer export offers, vessel shortages and strong Chinese buying. RB3 also rose to nearly INR 7,200/t. However, Indian buying stayed weak due to a wide bid-offer gap and soft sponge iron demand.
Indonesian coal prices also firmed, backed by stronger Chinese procurement and higher seaborne benchmarks. Grades such as 5000 GAR reached INR 7,200/t at Kandla and 4200 GAR inched up at key ports, while 3400 GAR saw the strongest gains. Despite rising prices, Indian buying remained selective, with traders focusing on short-term restocking amid stable domestic coal availability.
Outlook
The imported coal market is likely to stay firm in the near term, supported by strong FOB markets, vessel shortages, and continued Chinese demand. However, Indian buying is expected to remain cautious unless sponge iron demand improves or the bid-offer gap narrows. Freight corrections or easing export offers may soften sentiment toward late November.
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