ANKARA: Turkey’s bituminous thermal coal imports jumped 37.4% year-on-year to 2.78 million mt in July due to increased shipments from Russia and Colombia, according to data from the Turkish statistical Institute (TUIK) published Wednesday. The volume also edged up 0.9% on the month to a seven-month high, the data showed.
During the first seven months of the year, Turkey received 16.71 million mt of thermal coal, up 11.7% from the corresponding 2015 period. Colombia remained Turkey’s largest supplier of thermal coal in July, delivering 1.66 million mt, more than double the 644,446 mt shipped a year ago. It was also 13% above June’s volume and the highest monthly volume since Platts records began in January 2013.
Russia followed with 949,873 mt in July, rising 16% on the year but down 20% on the month, the TUIK data showed. Alternatively, South African thermal coal shipments to Turkey in July plunged 68% on the year, although it more than doubled from June’s 37,091 mt.
According to the data, Turkey’s total purchases in July for imported thermal coal were $172.62 million, up from the previous month’s $164.2 million. This was equivalent to a monthly average price of $62.07/mt, rising from June’s $59.56/mt. Platts assessed the July monthly average of its CIF Turkey 6,000 kcal/kg NAR 90-day price at $60/mt, gaining $4.62 on-month.
Turkey’s total coking coal imports in July were 538,952 mt, which more than tripled the 158,150 mt received a year ago and also rose 33% from June, according to the TUIK data. During July, Turkey imported 277,384 mt from the US and 261,568 mt from Australia. Turkey’s July anthracite imports were 51,421 mt, down 60% from June.
