According to the vessel line-up data compiled by CoalMint Research, coal imports by Bangladesh have shown remarkable growth during the month of Sep’18
Country’s imports have surged to 497,495 MT in Sep’18 recording over 8-fold increase from its previous month’s total of 60500 MT. On the yearly basis, Imports in Sep’18 were 9 times higher than the levels attained in Sep’17.
CoalMint has learnt from its market participants that coal imports in Bangladesh are majorly procured by the brick manufacturers to carry out their operations.
The month of Jun-Jul marks the temporary closure of brick making process amid monsoon season, only after which the importers make a return for coal restocking.
During Aug’18, coal buyers had made a slow return by importing only 60,500 MT coal (all of which was procured from South Africa). However, given the free-fall in coal prices the country had boosted imports of Indonesian grade of coal in Sep’18.
Bangladesh coal imports had hit a 10-month high total in Sep’18.
Total coal coming from Indonesia was recorded at 268,870 MT in Sep’18 which was also the highest imports since Apr’18. Notably, there was no coal receipt from Indonesian the year-ago month of Sep’17.
Bangladesh’s coal imports from South Africa increased 76% M-o-M to 106,625 MT in Sep’18. Besides, the country had also received coal for the first time in CY18 from Russia (114,500 MT) and Malaysia (7500 MT).
Bangladesh total coal imports during the first 9-months of CY18 (Jan-Sep) have jumped 49% Y-o-Y to 1,692,973 MT against 1,137,400 MT in the same period of CY17.
Apart from the seaborne imports, Bangladesh also receives a coal from India via roadways. According to the customs data, India had supplied 760,000 MT coal to Bangladesh over the period of 12 months (Apr’17-Mar’18). Around 130,000 MT coal has been supplied in the Apr’18-Jul’18 period.
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