China’s coal imports fell for the first time this year in August compared with the year-ago level, as overseas coal is losing its price advantage over domestic supplies following the recent price falls and sluggish demand in China. Coal imports, including lignite, amounted to 20.44 million tonnes in August, slumping 15.8% from the month before, and down 0.7% from one year ago, showed the latest data from the General Administration of Customs.This is the first year-on year drop since the beginning of 2012 and the second consecutive drop on a month-to-month basis.
Thermal coal covered 9.40 million tonnes, declining 5.8% month on month but still 65.2% higher than the year before. coking coal dropped 34.6% from a month ago to 2.57 million tonnes, down 21.8% from the previous year. Lignite stood at 3.16 million tonnes, reducing 22.0% month on month and down 23.2% year on year; while anthracite fell to 1.94 million tonnes, down 20.2% and 38.5% from month-ago and year-ago levels respectively.Total imports in the first eight months accumulated to 184.52 million tonnes, surging 46.3% from the same period of last year, which however is already higher the total imports last year.Thermal coal, coking coal and lignite stood at 63.05 million tonnes, 34.14 million tonnes and 34.17 million tonnes, up 136.6%, 28.8% and 55.7% year on year respectively, and anthracite totaled 23.26 million tonnes, down 2% from the year before.
Source: http://en.sxcoal.com