LONDON: The UK imported 1.2 million mt of thermal coal in November, down 49% over year, marking the ninth consecutive month of year-on-year declines, according to customs data.
However, imported volumes were up 3% month on month, posting their highest monthly level since April, when the UK doubled its Carbon Price Support mechanism, reducing coal’s competitiveness.
Colombia remained the single-largest source of coal into the UK, importing a total of 515,929 mt in November, falling 33% year on year. At 115,946 mt, total imports from northwest and eastern Europe were at their highest level since July 2015, the data showed.
November imports of Russian thermal coal were 1% higher from October at 363,952mt, although this was 61% lower than the same month in 2014. The US resumed imports into the UK in November after sending no coal to the UK in October, a 74% year on year drop at 161,137 mt.
The UK received 49,949 mt of South African thermal coal in November, marking the first imports from the country since February. During the January-November period, the UK has imported a total of 15.9 million mt of thermal coal, a 47% reduction from the same period in 2014.
