China’s coal imports have surged by 31.2% on a month-on-month basis to 69.63 million metric tons (MnT) in the two-month period of this year (Jan-Feb’20), as compared to 53.07 MnT in the corresponding period of the previous year, as per the latest vessel lineup customs data compiled by CoalMint Research.
Furthermore, China’s coal imports have totaled 305.20 MnT in the eleven month period of the current fiscal year (Apr’19-Feb’20), up 13.29% against the aggregate exports of 269.41 MnT recorded during the same period of FY 2019 (Apr’18-Feb’19).
Source: Custom Provisional Data, CoalMint Research | Quantity in MnT
Notably, the stupendous rise in coal import volumes into China counters earlier expectations that shipments would be capped by Beijing at the same level as 2019.
This also comes even after Beijing has pledged to curb coal use to tackle persistent severe pollution in the world’s top energy market.
Last year it took drastic measures to cap its shipments, halting all clearance of coal cargoes at major ports in December, which sent imports plunging down that month.
Major Coal Exporters to China in Jan-Feb’20:
A country wise breakup of the monthly import data reveals that the major proportion of China’s coal shipments originated from Australia and Mongolia, constituting the highest share of about 50%.
Australian non-coking coal exports to China increased by 35.5% Y-o-Y to 11.30 MnT in Jan-Feb’20 against 8.34 MnT in Jan-Feb’19.
Indonesian non-coking coal exports to China increased by a whopping 108.2% Y-o-Y to 5.46 MnT in Jan-Feb’20 against 2.62 MnT in Jan-Feb’19.
Russian non-coking coal exports to China increased by 87.8% Y-o-Y to 2.54 MnT in Jan-Feb’20 against 1.35 MnT in Jan-Feb’19.
Mongolian non-coking coal exports to China more than doubled Y-o-Y to 0.49 MnT in Jan-Feb’20 against 0.14 MnT in Jan-Feb’19.
On the other hand, Australian coking coal exports to China increased by 89.1% Y-o-Y to 10.37 MnT in Jan-Feb’20 against 5.49 MnT in Jan-Feb’19.
Source: CoalMint Research | Quantity in MnT
The following table provides a more detailed breakup of the coal exporting countries to China.
| China Import Jan-Feb’20 | |||
| Commodity/Sub Commodity/Exporting Country | 2020 (Jan-Feb) | 2019 (Jan-Feb) | % Change Y-o-Y |
| Coal | 69,633,252 | 53,073,107 | 31.2 |
| Lignite | 23,050,998 | 21,082,556 | 9.3 |
| Indonesia | 20,471,809 | 19,475,825 | 5.1 |
| Philippines | 1,759,215 | 1,518,908 | 15.8 |
| Russia | 694,515 | 21,340 | 3154.6 |
| Myanmar | 62,457 | 40 | 154496.7 |
| Others | 63,002 | 66,443 | -5.2 |
| Non Coking Coal | 20,040,530 | 12,641,409 | 58.5 |
| Australia | 11,304,392 | 8,340,001 | 35.5 |
| Indonesia | 5,462,592 | 2,623,975 | 108.2 |
| Russia | 2,542,293 | 1,353,847 | 87.8 |
| Mongolia | 486,486 | 135,792 | 258.3 |
| Others | 244,767 | 187,795 | 30.3 |
| Coking Coal | 15,161,639 | 10,278,997 | 47.5 |
| Australia | 10,374,880 | 5,485,534 | 89.1 |
| Mongolia | 2,676,074 | 3,515,846 | -23.9 |
| Russia | 952,004 | 726,548 | 31.0 |
| Canada | 930,049 | 506,817 | 83.5 |
| Others | 228,631 | 44,252 | 416.7 |
| Others | 8,473,650 | 5,343,192 | 58.6 |
| Indonesia | 7,937,197 | 4,753,127 | 67.0 |
| Russia | 415,845 | 584,869 | -28.9 |
| Kazakhstan | 82,455 | – | 100.0 |
| Mongolia | 32,542 | 5,196 | 526.3 |
| Others | 5,611 | – | 100.0 |
| Pet Coke | 1,422,904 | 1,919,661 | -25.9 |
| United States | 363,529 | 474,631 | -23.4 |
| Saudi Arabia | 261,832 | 347,433 | -24.6 |
| Colombia | 206,102 | 81,350 | 153.4 |
| Canada | 106,557 | 101,379 | 5.1 |
| Others | 484,885 | 914,868 | -47.0 |
| Anthracite | 1,333,441 | 1,797,354 | -25.8 |
| Russia | 1,197,540 | 1,460,671 | -18.0 |
| Australia | 88,000 | 172,659 | -49.0 |
| Iran | 40,349 | – | 100.0 |
| Mongolia | 6,765 | 7,999 | -15.4 |
| Others | 788 | 156,024 | -99.5 |
| Met Coke | 150,090 | 9,937 | 1410.5 |
| Japan | 82,042 | 26 | 320375.0 |
| Australia | 38,497 | – | 100.0 |
| South Korea | 16,077 | – | 100.0 |
| Russia | 9,893 | – | 100.0 |
| Others | 3,582 | 9,911 | -63.9 |
Source: CoalMint Research | Quantity in MT
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