China’s March coal imports nearly flat, up 14% in Q1

China’s coal imports were nearly flat in March year-on-year, customs data showed, as weak demand and falling domestic prices weighed on international shipments.

Arrivals of coal in China, the world’s biggest consumer of the fuel, totalled 41.38 million metric tons in March, up less than 1% from 41.17 million tons a year earlier, the General Administration of Customs data showed.

Falling Chinese coal prices mean that imported coal is losing its price advantage against domestic supply, and high domestic stockpiles also weighed on demand last month.

First-quarter coal imports, however, were up 13.9% at 115.9 million tons, boosted by a 23% increase in January-February year-on-year.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Colleen Howe; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Kim Coghill)