According to the data issued by China's Ministry of Industry and Information on May 21, in April total coal shipments via China's main ports reached 45.845 million mt, up 5.325 million mt or 13.1 percent compared with the same month last year. During the month in question, daily shipments of coal were about 1.528 million mt, increasing by 67,000 mt or 4.6 percent from March, marking the highest daily level since the beginning of the current year.
At the end of April, coal inventory at China's main ports stood at 15.021 million mt, registering an increase of 659,000 mt or 4.6 percent compared with the beginning of the year, and also rising by 3.548 million mt or 30.9 percent year on year. The figure was also 3.745 million mt or 20 percent less than at the end of March.
In April, coals shipped to the domestic market amounted to 44.782 million mt, up 6.637 million mt or 17.4 percent year on year. Meanwhile, coal shipments for the export markets decreased by 55.2 percent or 1.312 million mt year on year to 1.063 million mt in the month in question. The figures reflect the increase in coal consumption by domestic buyers in April.