The Ukrainian Ministry of Coal Industry has determined its list of industry development priorities aimed at stabilizing the domestic coal industry and increasing its production capacities.
Among other issues, the ministry has proposed the creation of a unified coal market, the speeding up the preparations necessary for the privatization of state-owned coal mines and also the linking of the domestic coking coal prices to international steel prices.
In reply to a SteelOrbis query regarding the possible effects of the linking of domestic coking coal prices to the changes in international prices, the Ukrainian Coke Association (UkrKoks) confirmed SteelOrbis' view that the adoption of such a mechanism in the Ukrainian domestic coking coal market may lead to a coking coal price rise, which in turn could up the steel mills production costs and also the end-price of Ukrainian-origin steel products in the international market.