Russian Coal Exports Up 29% M-o-M in Mar’19

Russian coal exports have increased 29% on the month to 24.22 MnT in Mar’19 compared with 18.75 MnT in Feb’19.

The country had witnessed a progressive rise in exports on monthly basis since the beginning of CY19, besides export volumes have also been higher y-o-y in the past two months.

Russian exports have predominantly driven by infrastructure developments at its eastern port — which delivers coal to Asia, wherein Japan’s search for diversified sources of supply and South Korea’s new regulations demanding more low sulphur coal, has aided the growth.

During the first quarter of CY19 (Jan’19-Mar’19), Russian coal exports have totaled 54.37 MnT, rising 15% on the year from 47.25 MnT recorded in first quarter of CY18.

Grade-wise Coal Exports:
Russia’s impressive sales of both coking and coal had also contributed to the appreciable growth in export volume during Mar’19.

Exports of Non-coking coal increased 37% M-o-M to 17.93 MnT in Mar’19, while that of coking coal was recorded 45% on the month at 3.38 MnT. Notably, both these grades had attain multi-month high total in Mar’19.

Anthracite coal exports however came down on the month, marked at 2.54 MnT in Mar’19.

Source: Russian customs
Quantity in MnT

Major Coal Importers:
Germany emerged as the largest coal importer from Russia in Mar’19. Country’s import of 3.06 MnT in Mar’19 had increased 3-fold on the year, which was also 31% higher on the month from 2.34 MnT in Feb’19.

China was the second-largest coal receiver with imports of 2.89 MnT, followed by Japan whose coal sourcing from Russia had almost doubled on the month recorded at 2.54 MnT in Mar’19.

South Korea’s slower coal burning affected its coal sourcing from Russia, which had fell 8% M-o-M to 2.25 MnT in Mar’19. Notably, South Korea was the only country to witness a fall in monthly coal receipt from Russia among the major coal importers.