EUROPE IMPORTS MORE SOUTH AFRICAN COAL AS RUSSIAN BAN LOOMS

Wed 15 June 2022:

European countries, desperate for alternatives to Russian coal, imported 40% more coal from South Africa’s largest export hub in the first five months of this year than they did in the entire year of 2021, according to information seen by Reuters on Wednesday (15 June).

According to the numbers, South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) delivered 3,240,752 tonnes of coal to European countries by end-May this year, 15% of RBCT’s overall exports, up from 2,321,190 (4%) in 2021.

Russian coal imports will be banned in the European Union beginning in the second week of August, as part of a broader set of measures against Moscow.

RBCT did not immediately reply to a request for comment. RBCT usually provides figures annually, and does not give a comprehensive breakdown of export destinations.

The Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Poland, Germany, and Ukraine have received coal from RBCT so far this year. Some of them only began importing from RBCT after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February.

The Netherlands received no coal from RBCT in January or February, but imported 1.27 million tonnes of coal from the terminal in March, April and May, with volumes increasing each month. It was the fourth top recipient of RBCT coal, accounting for 5.76% of total volumes.

France’s coal imports from RBCT jumped nearly seven-fold, from just 68,005 tonnes over the whole of last year to 464,432 tonnes so far this year.

Spain, Poland and Germany did not import any coal from RBCT last year. In the first five months of this year, Spain has imported 355,250 tonnes, Poland 181,515 tonnes and Germany 157,383 tonnes.

Japan, which has also said it would ban Russian coal imports, received 388,249 tonnes of coal from RBCT since January, nearly double the tonnage it bought last year.

China, the third biggest importer of coal from RBCT in 2021 with 6.09 million tonnes, did not receive any coal from the terminal this year, the figures showed, reflecting China’s increased imports of Russian coal.

Despite a dismal performance at RBCT, South Africa’s exports to Europe increased, highlighting a missed opportunity as the price of the fossil fuel increased.

South Africa’s state-owned freight rail systems, which deliver coal to RBCT and other ports, have been undermined by poor maintenance, a lack of locomotives, and copper cable theft. Trucks are being used by some miners to transport their coal to the port.

In the first five months of 2022, RBCT shipped 22,057,587 tonnes of coal. At that rate, RBCT will again see a drop in annual exports after its 2021 tonnages were the lowest since 1996.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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