Asia’s seaborne coking coal imports fell sharply in February, dropping to 15.85 million tonnes, the lowest level in three years, according to shipping data from Kpler.
Source: Today’s Think Tank
Asia’s seaborne coking coal imports fell sharply in February, dropping to 15.85 million tonnes, the lowest level in three years, according to shipping data from Kpler. This represents a 4.57 million-tonne decline from January, with both China and India—the region’s largest consumers—registering weaker import demand.
China’s seaborne coking coal imports plunged 37% month-on-month to 2.88 million tonnes in February. The drop was driven by seasonal environmental restrictions, which curtailed steel production, alongside rising domestic supply and stricter quality standards for imported coal, further squeezing demand. Data from China’s General Administration of Customs shows that total coking coal imports for January and February stood at 18.85 million tonnes, up 955,500 tonnes from a year earlier. However, the composition of imports shifted significantly:
· Mongolia: 6.44 million tonnes, down 2.15 million tonnes year-on-year.
· Russia: 5.29 million tonnes, up 1.19 million tonnes.
· United States: 2.62 million tonnes, an increase of 1.21 million tonnes.
· Canada: 2.11 million tonnes, up 732,800 tonnes.
· Australia: 1.76 million tonnes, rising 197,400 tonnes.
Despite the weak February figures, some market participants remain optimistic about a rebound from April onward, citing rising global steel production and shifts in trade flows as potential catalysts for increased raw material demand.
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