LONDON: UK imports of thermal coal fell 69% year on year to 807,960 mt in September, due to lower imports from Russia, Colombia and the US, Customs data showed. The monthly volume was at a three-month low, dropping 25% from August’s four-month high.
During the January-September period, the UK imported 13.52 million mt of thermal coal, slipping 46% from the same period in 2014. Imports have been in decline since April when the UK doubled its Carbon Price Support mechanism, reducing coal’s competitiveness.
Colombia delivered 383,721 mt to the UK in September, falling 16% on the year and dropping 10% from the previous month. The UK imported 233,300 mt of US thermal coal in September, slipping 73% from the same month in 2014 and 15% down from August. Russian shipments also fell 88% from September 2014 to 120,703 mt, decreasing 61% month on month.
