Coking coal imports rise in Oct on winter restocking
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: Coal imports in October saw a mixed trend with general coal shipments declining while coking coal imports rose. The fall in overall coal imports was on account of availability of surplus coal in the domestic market. Coking coal shipments increased 12 per cent to 5.04 million tonnes (MT) during the month over 4.50 MT a year earlier, driven primarily by winter restocking activities by steel mills. Coking coal is a critical raw material used in steel production.
Overall coal imports in October dropped 3.9 per cent to 20.97 MT over 21.84 MT in the year-ago period, according to B2B e-commerce platform Mjunction services ltd.
According to industry experts, steel manufacturers typically boost coking coal purchases ahead of the colder months to secure raw material supplies for sustained production during winter, when transportation and logistics face disruption risks.
This seasonal demand prompted the rise in coking coal imports despite the broader slowdown in coal shipments. Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, import levels are expected to remain subdued.
