SEOUL: South Korea imported 8.55 million mt of thermal coal in July, down 1% on the year but 4% higher than June, as higher volumes from Australia offset lower Indonesian supply, according to customs data Tuesday. Total South Korean thermal coal imports in January-July were up 2% on the year to 55.47 million mt.
Indonesian shipments of thermal coal to South Korea in July were 2.76 million mt, down 7% on the year, 5% on the month and the lowest monthly intake since January. Of this amount, 362,763 mt was lower calorific value sub-bituminous material.
However, volumes of Australian thermal coal into South Korea in July increased 23% on the year and 23% on the month to 3.99 million mt, the highest since Platts started collating the data in 2012. South Korean imports of Russian thermal coal in July increased 4% on the year and 7% on the month to 1.6 million mt.
