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India Coal Imports

Thermal coal imports slump 30% to 7.8 MT in April: India

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Outlook Magazine – India

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, thermal coal imports at India”s 12 major ports saw a 30.46 per cent plunge at 7.8 million tonnes (MT) in the first month of the current fiscal, as per the ports body IPA.

These Centre-owned ports had handled 11.27 MT of thermal coal in the same month of 2018-19.

The Indian Ports Association (IPA), which maintains cargo data handled by these 12 ports, in its latest report said “percentage variation from previous year” in thermal coal handling was at 30.46 per cent.

Imports of coking and other coal too declined 17.07 per cent at 4.27 MT during the month. These ports had handled 5.15 MT of coking coal in the corresponding month last fiscal.

Thermal coal is the mainstay of India”s energy programme as 70 per cent of power generation is dependent on the dry fuel, while coking coal is used mainly for steel-making.

India is the third-largest producer of coal after China and the US and has 299 billion tonnes of resources and 123 billion tonnes of proven reserves, which may last for over 100 years.

India has 12 major ports — Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Kamarajar (Ennore), V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) — which handle approximately 61 per cent of the country”s total cargo traffic…Full Story

Adani unfazed after India signals halt to thermal coal imports

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By Lydia Lynch | Brisbane Times

Mining giant Adani says its central Queensland coal mine is still going ahead despite the Indian government signalling it would stop all thermal coal imports within four years.

India’s coal and mines minister Pralhad Joshi last month said the country would stop importing thermal coal 2023-24, local media reported.

Mr Joshi made the announcement during a two-day forum about the future of the coal industry and how state-run Coal India would ramp up domestic coal production to phase out imports, India’s Economic Times reported.

“All these ideas will be deliberated, studied and examined for their feasibility in detail and based on that, they shall be implemented,” a government statement said.

The Indian government has been trying to wean itself off imported coal for years, and an Adani spokeswoman said the announcement would not slow down construction on the controversial Carmichael mine in central Queensland.

She said Adani still plans to produce 10 million tonnes of coal from the Carmichael coal mine each year.

“As noted by the International Energy Agency, and other respected energy market researchers, there is continuing strong demand for thermal coal from countries in south and south-east Asia where nations are rapidly developing and people are determined to improve their quality of life by getting access to reliable, affordable electricity,” the spokeswoman said…Full Story

India thermal coal imports fall for three months in a row

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NEW DELHI, Jan 20 (Reuters) – India’s thermal coal imports fell for three straight months for the first time in over two years, government data reviewed by Reuters show, as an economic slowdown stifled demand from industries such as cement and sponge iron.

Imports of thermal coal – used mainly for electricity generation – fell 10.7% to 15.62 million tonnes in October….Full Story