Hanoi — Thailand imported nearly 2.3 million mt of coal in July, surging 56.5% from the same month in 2017, according to latest customs data released over the weekend.
Of the total, 782,903 mt was bituminous coal, up 41.6% year on year, with the cargoes mainly from Australia -- 438,067 mt, 53.2% higher year on year and Indonesia -- 343,880 mt, up 29.4%.
Imports of other coals shot up 66.6% year on year to 1.5 million mt in July. They were imported mostly from Indonesia -- 1.45 million mt, up 61.4% from a year earlier, and Russia with 45,706 mt, up from none last year.
Thailand imported 21,106 mt of anthracite coal in the month, up 12.8% year on year.
In the first seven months, Thailand imported 14.57 million mt of coal, up 12% year on year, comprising mainly bituminous coal -- 4.64 million mt, down 23.9% year on year.
Other coals accounted for 9.83 million mt, up 44.7% from the same period in 2017.
Indonesia and Australia remained key suppliers.
