ANKARA: Turkey imported 30.42 million mt of bituminous thermal coal in 2016, rising 9% year on year to the highest on record, according to data from the Turkish statistical Institute (TUIK) published Tuesday. The country’s annual imports have been steadily increasing and have grown by almost 10 million mt in the past three years. Colombia was the largest shipper of thermal coal to Turkey during the year at 15.18 million mt, up 38% from 2015. Imports from the country have more than doubled since 2013 when S&P Global Platts records began. Russia was not far behind at 11.78 million mt, rising 12% on-year.
One origin that declined noticeably in 2016 was South African thermal coal, with only 2.32 million mt sent to Turkey during the year. This was down 53% on the year and was the lowest since Platts record began in 2013. According to the data, Turkey’s total imported thermal coal purchases for the year were $2.06 billion, which was equivalent to an average monthly price of $67.77/mt.
Platts assessed the year’s four quarterly averages of its CIF Turkey 6,000 kcal/kg NAR 90-day price at $50.67/mt, $52.77/mt, $65/mt and $88.85/mt during 2016, which gives a yearly average of $64.32/mt. Meanwhile, Turkey’s total coking coal imports in 2016 were 5.14 million mt, falling 6% on the year, according to the TUIK data. The country’s anthracite imports for the year were 655,307 mt, falling 9% from 2015.
