AsiaElec: Indonesian coal exports expect boost from Ukraine-Russia war

Indonesia could increase coal exports to China as Beijing aims to raise stockpiles and the war in Ukraine threatens imports from Russia.

On the back of figures released earlier in the week that China’s total coal output had increased over 10% during the first two months of the year, and sources claiming that the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in Beijing is aiming to put together a 620mn tonne stockpile of coal, analysts are now predicting an increase in possible Indonesian coal imports for China. 

Currently set at around 300mn tonnes, China’s coal reserves have benefited to some extent from the increased domestic output – 690mn tonnes in the first two months of the year – but imports over the same period were down 14% year on year to just under 36mn tonnes, according to the National Bureau of Statistics in Beijing.

These factors, coupled with ongoing worries over the reliability of future supplies from Russian coalfields as the war with Ukraine drags on and Nato-led international sanctions continuing to bite, have some in China now looking south to Indonesia to help fill any shortfalls.