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Vietnam’s April coal imports up 90% on year to 362,861 mt; exports down

Vietnam imported 362,861 mt of coal in April, up 89.9% from the same month last year but down 8% from March, according to the latest customs data.

Imports in April were worth $29.8 million, up 15% year on year but down 16.5% from March.

The main suppliers in the month were Indonesia with 211,425 mt, up 199% year-on-year, China (60,841 mt, up 44%) and Malaysia (27,346 mt, up 16%).

Over January-April, Vietnam imported 1.36 million mt of coal, rising 39% from the same period last year, with a value of $128 million, up 8.6%.

The main suppliers of coal to Vietnam in the first four months were Indonesia (638,951 mt, up 19%), Australia (308,191 mt, up 95%) and China (129,592 mt, up 1%).

Traditionally a coal exporter, Vietnam has turned to coal imports to meet rising domestic coal demand, particularly from the power sector.

Vietnam’s main coal miner, state-owned Vinacomin, said May 5 it produced 3.6 million mt of coal in April, up 4.5% year-on-year. Vinacomin’s output over January-April totaled 13.7 million mt, up 4.4% from a year earlier.

The company sold nearly 3.3 million mt of coal in April, rising 7.6% year-on-year, and 11.4 million mt in the first four months, up 7.9%.

Vinacomin did not give a breakdown for exports and domestic sales volume over January-April but said its exports in the period fell 79% year-on-year and domestic sales went up 12.6%.

The country, which mainly produces thermal coal, exported 248,742 mt in April, down 57% from the same month last year but up 32.8% from March.

The April exports were worth $24 million, 46% lower than in the same month last year but rising 6.2% from March this year.

Vietnam exported its coal in April to South Korea (103,455 mt, down 22%), Indonesia (47,000 mt, up 2,281%) and the Philippines (24,200 mt, up from zero).

China, traditionally the biggest coal buyer from Vietnam, has not bought any Vietnamese coal in the first four months of this year, according to the data.

During January-April, Vietnam exported 745,493 mt of coal, down 78% year-on year. The export value in the period was worth $81 million, down 67% from the same period in 2014.

In the period, the country mainly exported its coal to Japan (169,667 mt, down 62%), South Korea (128,548 mt, down 68%) and Indonesia (113,000 mt, up 428%).
Source: Platts