Russia’s coal exports fell amid sanctions

Russia has reduced coal exports in January-April, says the head of the coal industry department of the Russian Ministry of Energy, Petr Bobylev.

“Especially in March and April we see a decrease in export volumes by more than 20% on-year,” he noted at a round table in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament. Since the beginning of the year, coal shipments abroad fell almost by 9%.”

At the same time, according to the Russian Ministry of Energy, the consumption of coal in the domestic market has increased, mostly in Siberia.

The Russian authorities planned the possibility of redirecting exports through seaports to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov said last week that the volume of coal exports from Russia sank slightly.

The total export of coal from Russia in 2021 amounted to 227 million tonnes, up by 7% on-year, the Russian Ministry of Energy said earlier.

In early April, the European union banned the import of coal from Russia as part of another package of sanctions due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ban will come into force in August. At the same time, Great Britain and Poland have already banned the import of coal from Russia.

Until 10 August, the parties will be allowed to fulfil contracts concluded before 9 April 2022. The annual volume of coal imports to the EU has recently amounted to €8 billion ($8.7 billion).

Earlier this week, Russian miner and steelmaker Mechel’s Southern Kuzbass coking coal company has commissioned the new 0-16-12 longwall with estimated coal reserves of 201,000 tonnes (see Kallanish passim).

Mechel’s Yakutugol coking coal company meanwhile increased production in March to 520,000t, up by 18% on-year. Yakutugol’s plans are to ensure further growth in production indicators, it says.

In 2021, Mechel’s coking coal sales fell 31% on-year to 2.7mt. The main reason was that Southern Kuzbass coal company reduced production.

Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria