Thermal coal exports from South Africa fell 21.2% on month to 6.16 million mt in January, but were up 9.7% on year, according to customs data Wednesday.
India remained the top destination for South African coal, importing 2.7 million mt in January, which was down 29% on month, but more than double the volume for the same month in 2017. India accounted for 43.7% of all exports from South Africa.
South Korea made up 12.1% of all exports from South Africa with a volume of 746,820 mt in January. This was down 15% on month and also down 36% on year.
Pakistan imported 464,295 mt of thermal coal in January from South Africa, which was down 30% on month but up 6% on year.
Israel imported 168,000 mt in January, which was up 2% on month but down more than half the January volume for 2017.
South Africa exported 106,370 mt to the UAE, which was more than double the volume from January 2017 but was down 35% on month.
The average S&P Global Platts assessment price for Richards Bay 5,500 kcal/kg NAR in January was $81.27/mt, up $2.32 from December's average.
