Colombian coal exports in March fell to their lowest level in a year, at 3.331 million mt, down 18.1% from February, data from statistics agency DANE showed.
The monthly export volume drop-off corresponded to a ban imposed in January on Drummond loadings, after the US miner failed to have its direct-loading port ready to comply with a January 1 deadline.
Drummond exports resumed on April 1.
March coal export volumes gained 56.4% on the year, however, after a series of incidents hampered the shipping of around 80% of Colombia's coal production at the start of 2013.
These included a month-long strike at the country's largest thermal coal miner, Cerrejon, a Drummond export ban stemming from a coal spillage and coal transport restrictions on the Fenoco rail line.
DANE data showed Colombian coal exports in the first quarter of 2014 rose to 14.676 million mt, up 17.7% from the first quarter of 2013.
The coal sales volume in Q1 2014 totaled $1.192 billion FOB, a slight fall of 0.5% on the year, while FOB sales for March totaled $268.1 million, up 32.7% from March 2013 but down 14.1% month on month.
The Platts Q1 2014 average for FOB Colombia 6,000 kcal/kg NAR thermal coal was $69.25/mt.
The monthly March average for FOB Colombia 6,000 kcal/kg NAR was $64.86/mt, down 6.5% from February.
The weekly FOB Colombia 6,000 kcal/kg NAR price was assessed at $67.35/mt Friday, down $1.10 week on week.
