COALspot.com: Indonesia, the world largest coal exporter, shipped  31.86* million tons of coal in April 2012, compared to 30.64* million tons in March 2012. The April coal exports up by 3.98 percent from March exports.

China was the largest importer again last month, followed by India. China has imported 10.994* million tons of Indonesian coal, in the meantime India's imports have reached to 7.63* million tons from Indonesia.

Indonesia's coal exports to China has increased by 12.60* percent in April to 10.99* million tons and to India increased by 8.53* percent. Indian utilities have imported 7.63* million tons in April, compared to 7.03* million tons in March 2012.

82.95* percent of total Indonesian coal exports in April goes to top five traditional coal importers of Indonesian coal such as China, India, South Korea, Taiwan And Japan.

“Inquiries from India and China are still in the market, but the conclusions rates are lower than inquiries"  said an international coal trader who is operating out of Indonesia and Singapore. The FOB bids are not favoring suppliers at this moment, the gap between offers and bids are quite wider he added.

5,000 kcal/kg GAR coal from Central Kalimantan is being bids below US$ 70 last week, while the 5,800 kcal/kg GAR coal is around US$ 85-87/mt, an another trader said.

Indonesia is in process to issue a regulation to (re) introduce duty on coal export. However the exact percentage of duty or when the regulation will be issued is unknown to market.

Indonesia is also considering to introduce production restriction instead of export duty, a person who is familiar to Indonesian mining industry said. The government has already introduced export duty on un processed mineral products since early this month.

"Coal export duty could affect price competition of Indonesian coal and also coal producers future earnings”, said a coal player from India.

However another trader cum coal exporter said, “Coal demand in Asia, principally Japan, China and India remains strong. Hence the market will absorb a minor export duty on coal”.

However the current coal market condition may not support Indonesian coal industry to face any new regulation related to export duty. If the government introduce coal export duty at this moment, it will support south and north American coal industry as well as Russian coal producers who are currently active in  Asian Market due to lower sea freight advantage as well as less coal demand in  Europe and America. American cheaper shale gas prices are also pushing American coal producers to export more coal in to Asian market.

Indonesian HBA also fall to lowest level since January 2011 this month. The monthly coal reference price for coal sales in May fell 3.30 percent M-o-M.

The Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources of Indonesia sets the coal’s spot price benchmark for May 2012 at US$ 102.12 per ton, US$ 3.49 lower than April 2012 Price and US$ 15.49 lower than the same period in 2011.

The coal export information within this article is provided by COALspot.com on an "as is" and "as available” basis. All details about, given in good faith and has been collected from various press reports, organization and individuals considered reliable but without guarantee.  While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information furnished in this article. COALspot.com shall be obliged if errors / omissions are brought to its notice for carrying out corrections in this article.* Figures are subject to verification (cs)