A total of 79.87 million metric tons of the fuel predominantly used to generate electricity will arrive at Asian ports in August, according to data compiled by commodity analysts Kpler.
This is up from 77.1 million tons in July and is the highest since December's 80.54 million.
Asia's demand for thermal coal has accelerated in recent months amid warmer-than-usual summer weather, which has boosted demand for air conditioning.
The increased demand for coal used in power generation has been most keenly felt in the developed economies of North Asia, namely Japan, South Korea and Taiwan...
But July and August are Japan's two strongest months for thermal coal imports since the peak winter month of January, and August's arrivals are also higher than the 8.91 million in the same month last year.South Korea, Asia's fourth-ranked coal importer, is on track for imports of 8.27 million tons in August, the highest since July 2022 and up from 6.58 million in July.
A common factor between Japan, South Korea and Taiwan is they prefer higher grade thermal coal, with the benchmark being Australian coal loaded at Newcastle port with an energy content of 6,000 kilocalories per kilogram (kcal/kg).
The index for this grade , as assessed by commodity price reporting agency Argus, reached the highest since late December in the week to Aug. 23, ending at $146.03 a ton (US $143 today- my words)".
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