SHANGHAI, Oct 21 (SMM) – According to Customs data, China’s total imports of petroleum coke reached 1.12 million mt in September, an increase of 46% or 352,600 mt year on year, but a decrease of 3.45% or 40,000 mt from the previous month.
China's total petroleum coke imports from January to September this year have reached 9.80 million mt.
The top exporters of the petroleum coke to China in September were US (584,500 mt), Saudi Arabia (264,500 mt), Russian Federation (81,700 mt), Taiwan China (51,800 mt). The imports from the other countries or regions totalled 135,500 mt.
The imported low-sulphur and medium-sulphur petroleum coke totalled 318,500 mt in September, and that of the high-sulphur petroleum coke stood at 799,400 mt.
China's petroleum coke imports in September were in line with expectations. According to SMM survey, China's petroleum coke prices stood high in September, and the daily deliveries at every port reached 20,000-30,000 mt. The supply was short.
However, the domestic petroleum coke prices fell in October. The prices of the medium to high sulphur petroleum coke dropped by 200-300 yuan/mt. The port deliveries were poor at around 5,000 mt. The high-sulphur petroleum coke was quite favoured amid the extremely high coke prices. The prices of the medium-sulphur sponge coke dropped.
The downstream calcining plants purchases on demand and were highly resistant to the high prices. The second-tier traders and some first-tier traders were wait-and-see.
The petroleum coke imports are expected to fall in October.