The freight volume on China’s Daqin railway - the barometer for heavy coal transportation in China - amounted to 337.83 million mt in the January-October period this year, down 1.59 percent year on year, as announced by Daqin Railway Co., Ltd.
In October alone, the freight volume on Daqin railway totaled 18.69 million mt, down 43.12 percent year on year.
The serious Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Shanxi Province has negatively affected transportation on Daqin railway.
At the same time, according to the China Ports and Harbours Association, recently the production and transportation of coal have been negatively affected by the pandemic, which resulted in the decline in coal volumes arriving at ports, thereby bolstering coal prices. As of October 31 this year, total coal inventory at Qinhuangdao port and Huangye port (two major coal ports) declined by 14.5 percent year on year, while down by 3.13 percent compared to October 20.