According to the vessel line-up data compiled by CoalMint Research, Bangladesh’s coal import has fallen 72% on the month to 110,000 MT in May’18, compared with 399,300 MT in Apr’18.
Only two coal vessels were reported at the Chittagong port during the month, each carrying 55,000 MT coal. The coal vessels were imported from South Africa and Indonesia.
Despite the abrupt decline on the monthly basis, the country has noted substantial gains in imports on the yearly basis, when merely 6900 MT coal was imported back in May’17.
Except for the imports of 55,000 MT coal in Feb’18, Bangladesh’s coal import during the remaining months of Jan’18-May’18 period has recorded higher increase on the year-on-year basis.
Country’s total coal imports during Jan’18-May’18 stood 1,134,978 MT, which was 16% higher on the year compared with 981,870 MT during the corresponding period.
However, the country is about to witness a temporary halt in coal imports during Jun’18-Jul’18, when the vessel unloading operations are affected as a result of the monsoon season. As per the vessel line up data, Bangladesh has not imported any coal vessels during the Jun-Jul period for the past two years.
During the first 5 months of CY18, Bangladesh has procured nearly 80% of the total coal imports from Indonesia. Coal share from Indonesia has increased 12% Y-o-Y to 915,170 MT in Jan’18-May’18 period; the remaining imports were acquired from South Africa and Mozambique.
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