Japan: Coal Imports Down 3% M-o-M in Apr’19

Japanese coal imports have decreased 3% on the month in Apr’19, following a hefty fall in non-coking coal intake during the month.

Data provided by custom indicate that the country had imported 15.55 MnT coal in Apr’19 against 16.11 MnT in Mar’19. Imports, however, were slightly higher on the year from 15.4 MnT in Apr’18.

The country had reported its highest monthly coking coal imports for CY19 in Apr’19, but it was not enough to overcome the slump in non-coking coal shipments.

A grade-wise break-up of coal imports show the non-coking coal receipt in Apr’19 dropped 10% M-o-M to 9.96 MnT against 11.07 MnT in Mar’19. Apparently, non-coking coal shipment had fell to 9 MnT mark for the first time since Jun’18.

Imports of Coking coal had increased 11% M-o-M to 4.01 MnT in Apr’19. Besides, there was an upsurge noted in Anthracite coal imports, which were recorded at 0.5 MnT during the month.

Among imports of coke commodities, Pet coke shipments had slipped a tad mo-m, while Met coke shipments had jumped nearly 4-folds to 0.08 MnT during Apr’19.

Source: Japanese customs
Quantity in MnT

Major Coal Exporters:
Australia, Indonesia and Russia remained the top-3 major coal suppliers to Japan. However, only Russia had managed to post a monthly growth in exports during Apr’19.

Australian coal export to Japan fell 2% M-o-M to 9.01 MnT in Apr’19, which was also 5% lower on the year from 9.48 MnT in Apr’18.

Indonesian coal exports were down 18% M-o-M to 1.87 MnT in Apr’19, but were 13% higher on the year from 1.66 MnT in Apr’18.

Russian coal supplies increased 3% on the month to 1.71 MnT, while rising 17% Y-o-Y in Apr’19.

Coal supplies from Canada doubled during the month to 1.26 MnT, while that from the US had fallen 48% M-o-M during Apr’19.

In total, Japan has accumulated 63.34 MnT coal imports during the first 4 months of CY19.